Broos brushes off visa drama as Bafana eyes Mexico test

As the countdown to Bafana Bafana’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Mexico edges closer, coach Hugo Broos remains satisfied with his side’s preparations despite travel disruptions caused by visa issues.

Bafana’s departure to Mexico was delayed by a day before the squad eventually left South Africa on Monday afternoon. umafrika.club

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The team will set up camp in Pachuca ahead of the eagerly anticipated clash against the hosts on June 11 at Mexico City Stadium.

‘Those problems are behind us’

Despite travelling to North America without assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who had still not received his visa when the team departed from OR Tambo International Airport, Broos remained upbeat about the challenge ahead.

“The past days have been a little bit stressful with all the problems we had but again, those problems are behind us and now we’re focused on what’s coming,” he said.

Before turning their attention to El Tri, as Mexico are affectionately known, Bafana first have a warm-up fixture against Jamaica on Friday.

The Belgian tactician welcomed the quality of opposition as his side fine-tunes preparations for the tournament opener. Jamaica missed out of world cup qualification after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the playoff round

“That is something we needed, and we played last week against Nicaragua but the time between that game and the first game against Mexico was too long,” Broos added.

“So, I’m happy with Jamaica because they are 71st on the rankings so they will be a good opponent, and they will be the last test before the opening game.

“I have something in my head, and I will see if we can use it in the first game against Mexico. Jamaica 71st on the rankings so that means they are a little bit lower than us so it will be a good opponent.”

Broos issues update on Modiba

Broos also confirmed that star defender Aubrey Modiba will miss the international friendly against Jamaica as a precaution.

Modiba suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury during the first leg of the CAF Champions League final while turning out for Mamelodi Sundowns against AS FAR last month.

“I think Aubrey is very close to training with the group if everything goes well with him,” Broos concluded.

“I expect him maybe not for the game against Jamaica. We will not take any risks with him but I’m sure that he will be there for the opening game.”

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Following the encounter against Mexico, Bafana will face the Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 before returning to Mexico to conclude their Group A campaign against South Korea in Guadalupe.

The countdown to FIFA World Cup 2026 is well underway, with football fans able to map out the entire tournament calendar as the biggest edition of the global showpiece takes shape.

For the first time in history, the World Cup will be hosted by three countries – United States, Canada and Mexico – while the competition will also expand from 32 to 48 teams.

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The expanded format means the tournament will feature a record 104 matches played over 39 days, making it the largest World Cup ever staged.

Tournament opener

South Africa are set to feature in the tournament opener, taking on hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June.

The fixture has drawn comparisons to Bafana Bafana’s memorable opening match against Mexico at the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, when Siphiwe Tshabalala scored one of the most famous goals in South African football history.

Expanded tournament format

The 2026 edition introduces a new format featuring 12 groups of four teams.

The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will advance to a newly introduced Round of 32.

From there, the tournament progresses through the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

The expansion means teams reaching the final will have to navigate an additional knockout round compared to previous World Cups.

Packed football calendar

The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, with football taking place almost every day.

There will be only five match-free days throughout the competition – 8 July, 12 July, 13 July, 16 July and 17 July.

The group stage concludes at the end of June before the Round of 32 begins immediately, ensuring a packed schedule for supporters across the globe.

Bafana Bafana’s group fixtures

South Africa’s World Cup campaign begins against Mexico before they face the Czech Republic in Atlanta on 18 June.

Bafana Bafana will then complete their group-stage commitments against South Korea in Monterrey on 24 June.

Coach Hugo Broos will be hoping to guide South Africa into the knockout stages for the first time.

World Cup final

The tournament concludes on 19 July, when the final will crown the new world champions after more than a month of football spread across North America.

With 48 nations, 104 matches and three host countries, FIFA World Cup 2026 is expected to be the largest and most commercially significant World Cup in the history of the sport.

World Cup key dates of rounds

Group stage: June 11-27

Round of 32: June 28 to July 3

Round of 16: July 4-7

Quarter-finals: July 9-11

Semi-finals: July 14-15

Third-place playoff: July 18

Final: July 19

Full FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule

All times SA

Matchday 1 – June 11-18

Thursday, June 11

Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, Mexico City, Mexico – 21:00

Friday, June 12

Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, Guadalajara, Mexico – 04:00

Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, Toronto, Canada – 21:00

Saturday, June 13

Group D: USA vs Paraguay, Los Angeles, USA – 02:00

Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, Santa Clara (San Francisco), USA – 21:00

Sunday, June 14

Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, New Jersey, USA – 00:00

Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 03:00

Group D: Australia vs Turkey, Vancouver, Canada – 06:00

Group E: Germany vs Curaçao, Houston, USA – 19:00

Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, Arlington (Dallas), USA – 22:00

Monday, June 15

Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, Philadelphia, USA – 01:00

Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, Guadalupe (Monterrey), Mexico – 04:00

Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, Atlanta, USA – 18:00

Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, Seattle, USA – 21:00

Tuesday, June 16

Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, Miami, USA – 00:00

Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, Los Angeles, USA – 03:00

Group I: France vs Senegal, New Jersey, USA – 21:00

Wednesday, June 17

Group I: Iraq vs Norway, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 00:00

Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, Kansas City, USA – 03:00

Group J: Austria vs Jordan, Santa Clara (San Francisco), USA – 06:00

Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, Houston, USA – 19:00

Group L: England vs Croatia, Arlington (Dallas), USA – 22:00

Thursday, June 18

Group L: Ghana vs Panama, Toronto, Canada – 01:00

Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, Mexico City, Mexico – 04:00

Matchday 2 – June 18–24

Thursday, June 18

Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, Atlanta, USA – 18:00

Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, Los Angeles, USA – 21:00

Friday, June 19

Group B: Canada vs Qatar, Vancouver, Canada – 00:00

Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, Guadalajara, Mexico – 03:00

Group D: USA vs Australia, Seattle, USA – 21:00

Saturday, June 20

Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 00:00

Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, Philadelphia, USA – 03:00

Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, Santa Clara (San Francisco), USA – 06:00

Group F: Netherlands vs Sweden, Houston, USA – 19:00

Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, Toronto, Canada – 22:00

Sunday, June 21

Group E: Ecuador vs Curaçao, Kansas City, USA – 02:00

Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, Guadalupe (Monterrey), Mexico – 06:00

Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, Atlanta, USA – 18:00

Group G: Belgium vs Iran, Los Angeles, USA – 21:00

Monday, June 22

Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, Miami, USA – 00:00

Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, Vancouver, Canada – 03:00

Group J: Argentina vs Austria, Arlington (Dallas), USA – 19:00

Group I: France vs Iraq, Philadelphia, USA – 23:00

Tuesday, June 23

Group I: Norway vs Senegal, Toronto, Canada – 02:00

Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, Santa Clara (San Francisco), USA – 05:00

Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, Houston, USA – 19:00

Group L: England vs Ghana, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 22:00

Wednesday, June 24

Group L: Panama vs Croatia, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 01:00

Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, Guadalajara, Mexico – 04:00

Matchday 3 – June 24-28

Wednesday, June 24

Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, Vancouver, Canada – 21:00

Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, Seattle, USA – 21:00

Thursday, June 25

Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, Atlanta, USA – 00:00

Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, Miami, USA – 00:00

Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico – 03:00

Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, Guadalupe (Monterrey), Mexico – 03:00

Group E: Curaçao vs Ivory Coast, Philadelphia, USA – 22:00

Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, New Jersey, USA – 22:00

Friday, June 26

Group F: Japan vs Sweden, Arlington (Dallas), USA – 01:00

Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, Kansas City, USA – 01:00

Group D: Turkey vs USA, Los Angeles, USA – 04:00

Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, Santa Clara (San Francisco), USA – 04:00

Group I: Norway vs France, Foxborough (Boston), USA – 21:00

Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, Toronto, Canada – 21:00

Saturday, June 27

Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, Houston, USA – 02:00

Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, Guadalajara, Mexico – 02:00

Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, Vancouver, Canada – 05:00

Group G: Egypt vs Iran, Seattle, USA – 05:00

Group L: Panama vs England, New Jersey, USA – 23:00

Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, Philadelphia, USA – 23:00

Sunday, June 28

Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, Miami, USA – 01:30

Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, Atlanta, USA – 01:30

Group J: Algeria vs Austria, Kansas City, USA – 04:00

Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, Arlington (Dallas), USA – 04:00

Round of 32 – June 28 to July 3

Sunday, June 28

Group A Runners-up vs Group B Runners-up (Match 73) Los Angeles, USA – 21:00

Monday, June 29

Group C Winners vs Group F Runners-up (Match 76) Houston, USA – 19:00

Group E Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 74) Boston, USA – 22:30

Tuesday, June 30

Group F Winners vs Group C Runners-up (Match 75) Monterrey, Mexico – 03:00

Group E Runners-up vs Group I Runners-up (Match 78) Dallas, USA – 19:00

Group I Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 77) New York City, USA – 23:00

Wednesday, July 1

Group A Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 79) Mexico City, Mexico – 03:00

Group L Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 80) Atlanta, USA – 18:00

Group G Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 82) Seattle, USA – 22:00

Thursday, July 2

Group D Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 81) San Francisco, USA – 02:00

Group H Winners vs Group J Runners-up (Match 84) Los Angeles, USA – 21:00

Friday, July 3

Group K Runners-up vs Group L Runners-up (Match 83) Toronto, Canada – 01:00

Group B Winners vs Best 3rd Place(Match 85) Vancouver, Canada – 05:00

Group J Winners vs Group H Runners-up(Match 88) Dallas, USA – 20:00

Saturday, July 4

Group D Runners-up vs Group G Runners-up (Match 86) Miami, USA – 00:00

Group K Winners vs Best 3rd Place (Match 87) Vancouver, Canada – 02:30

Round of 16 – July 4-7

Saturday, July 4

Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 (Match 90) – Houston, USA – 19:00

Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 (Match 89) – Philadelphia, USA – 23:00

Sunday, July 5

Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 (Match 91) – New York City, USA – 22:00

Monday, July 6

Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 (Match 92) – Mexico City, Mexico – 02:00

Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84 (Match 93) – Dallas, USA – 21:00

Tuesday, July 7

Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 (Match 94) – Seattle, USA – 02:00

Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 (Match 95) – Atlanta, USA – 18:00

Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 (Match 96) – Vancouver, Canada – 22:00

Quarter-finals – July 9-11

Thursday, July 9

Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 (Match 97) – Boston, USA – 22:00

Friday, July 10

Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 (Match 98) – Los Angeles, USA – 21:00

Saturday, July 11

Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 (Match 99) – Miami, USA – 23:00

Sunday, July 12

Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 (Match 100) – Kansas City, USA – 03:00

Semi-finals – July 14-15

Tuesday, July 14

Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 (Match 101) – Dallas, USA – 21:00

Wednesday, July 15

Winner Match 99 vs Winner 100 (Match 102) – Atlanta, USA – 21:00

Third-place Playoff

Saturday, July 18

Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 (Match 103) – Miami, USA – 23:00

Final

Sunday, July 19

Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 (Match 104) – New York, USA – 21:00

Stellenbosch FC legend Lee Langeveldt has called time on his illustrious 21-year playing career.

Langeveldt took the field for the last time when he came on in the 82nd minute in their 2-0 win over Orbit College at Danie Craven Stadium on 17 May.

The 39-year-old has kept 39 clean sheets in 83 appearances across all competitions.

He has played for the likes of NMMU FC, Western Province United, Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, Santos FC, Milano United, Golden Arrows and Stellenbosch FC.

“It was always my dream to play professionally, but at the time you had to go to Cape Town, to Santos, Hellenic, or Ajax Cape Town, or, and I was fortunate to get an opportunity at the School of Excellence in PE,” Langeveldt told the Stellenbosch website.

“I was so excited when I received the call,” he says. “I think the whole town was excited to finally have a professional team in Stellenbosch, and the opportunity for me to come back and play for the community was incredibly special.

“Playing football was always my dream, but to get the chance to do it in my hometown is something that I will always be grateful for.

“There were too many emotions and too many feelings to properly describe it, but it was a special, special moment for me,” he shares on the experience. “To have my sendoff in front of family and friends in Stellenbosch was unforgettable.

“I knew it was coming because coach Gavin [Hunt] came to me earlier in the week and said he was going to give me a sendoff, but I told him the three points were more important. If we were leading, then bring me on, but otherwise no, and thankfully, we were at the time.

“It’s funny because coach P [Stellenbosch FC goalkeeper coach, Pernell McKop] called me on the bench and told me to warm up. I said, ‘Just put me on, it’s fine’. Then the first corner came in, and I went up to catch it, but my legs didn’t‎ want to work. All I remember thinking was that I should have warmed up!

“But no, it was unforgettable, and I just feel really blessed to have had the opportunities I’ve had. It was an incredible full circle moment to have started my career as a junior at Idas Valley Football Club and then to end it at Stellenbosch FC. It’s a day I will never forget,” he concluded.

The post Stellies’ Lee Langeveldt Retires After 21-Year Career appeared first on SportsClub.