The South African Football Association (SAFA) has announced the postponement of its scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in order to give full attention and support to the country’s national football teams currently involved in international competitions and development programmes.
In recent weeks, South Africa has witnessed an unprecedented level of national football activity. Bafana Bafana have been participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, facing Lesotho in Polokwane and Benin in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. In addition, the national team advanced to the next round of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers after a strong 3-1 aggregate win over Egypt, with fixtures held in Bloemfontein and Ismailia.
The momentum continues across all age groups and genders. The U17 men’s national team is in camp preparing for the CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on 31 March 2025 in Morocco. Meanwhile, the U17 women’s team, Bantwana, have been active in a FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign against Nigeria, playing both home and away legs.
The U20 men’s national team also saw action, hosting Botswana in two friendlies in Johannesburg as part of their preparations for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations. Banyana Banyana, South Africa’s senior women’s team, concluded a two-match series against Lesotho in preparation for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), also scheduled to take place in Morocco in July.
Adding to the full calendar, the SAFA Coaching Department hosted a CAF A Refresher Course at SAFA House in Johannesburg, aimed at upskilling previously certified coaches and enhancing the quality of technical development across the board.
In light of these extensive activities, SAFA extended gratitude to its NEC members for their understanding, stating that the decision reflects the Association’s commitment to supporting national teams and technical departments at all levels.
