Bafana Bafana have arrived at their 2026 World Cup training base in Pachuca, 95km outside Mexico City, and almost immediately started a training session.Videos shared on social media show the team bus being accompanied by a convoy of heavy police security in a country that has its share of safety issues, including from drug cartels.The national team was greeted by a traditional Mexican mariachi band at their hotel.Despite their charter flight arriving in the early hours of the morning Mexico City time, Bafana soon set about their first training session.The South Africans are based at Universidad del Futbol y Ciencias del Deporte in Pachuca.Bafana meet co-hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in the 2026 World Cup opening game on June 11 (9pm SA time), a rematch of the first fixture when South Africa hosted the 2010 edition.Los 26 jugadores de la selección de Sudáfrica ya entrenan en México. Los bafana bafana reconocieron la cancha de la que será su casa de entrenamiento la universidad del fútbol en Pachuca. @FOXDeportes @Tuzos pic.twitter.com/gIYdKxo5Ta— Edgar Jiménez (@edgar85jimenez) June 2, 2026
Bafana’s remaining two Group A games are against Czechia (Czech Republic) in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 18 (6pm SA time) and South Korea in Guadalupe, Mexico, on June 24 (3am on June 25 SA time). Bafana’s departure from Johannesburg was delayed by a day from Sunday to Monday over the controversial non-arrival of their US visas by the weekend due to an alleged South African Football Association bungle.¡SUDÁFRICA YA PREPARA SU DUELO CONTRA MÉXICO! 💪Los Bafana Bafana tuvieron su primer entrenamiento en Pachuca 🇿🇦A 9 días de la inauguración del mundial 😍 pic.twitter.com/b0WCdd7IAW— ESPN.com.mx (@ESPNmx) June 3, 2026
