The South African Football Association (SAFA) has given clarity on the outstanding 2026 FIFA World Cup bonuses for Bafana Bafana players and technical support staff.
South Africa reached the knockout stage at the global showpiece United States of America (USA) and Mexico for the first time in their history after beating South Korea in their last group stage match.
Under the tutelage of Belgian coach Hugo Broos, Bafana were eliminated from the tournament after a 1-0 loss to Canada but took a lot of positives from their World Cup experience after a 16-year return.
The issue of outstanding bonuses has been subject of interest since the team’s return, and the local governing body has now provided clarity.
“The South African Football Association (SAFA) wishes to clarify that the delay in paying Bafana Bafana players’ and support staff bonuses arising from the FIFA World Cup 2026 (FWC26) is due to outstanding international tax compliance requirements in the United States of America (USA) and Mexico.
“As matches were played in both countries, SAFA is required to comply with the applicable federal and state tax laws in the USA, as well as Mexican tax legislation. Given the complexity of these requirements, SAFA, in line with FIFA’s guidance, appointed specialist legal and tax advisers in both jurisdictions.
“Significant progress has been made, including SAFA obtaining a US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Employer Identification Number. The USA specialists are finalising the required tax calculations and documentation, while the process for settling the applicable Mexican tax obligations is also being finalised.
“SAFA confirms that a portion of the FWC26 prize money has been received. All allowances, fees and other amounts due to players and support staff have been settled. The outstanding payments relate specifically to FWC26 bonuses which will be processed once the applicable tax requirements have been concluded. SAFA is committed to finalising the process as expeditiously as possible and ensuring that all legitimate bonuses are paid.
“SAFA is also concerned about the practice by some media houses submitting inquiries at the last minute, accompanied by unrealistic deadlines that do not allow sufficient time for the Association to properly consult and provide a considered response. While SAFA respects the media’s role and remains committed to transparency, fair and responsible reporting requires a reasonable opportunity for organisations to respond, particularly on complex financial and tax matters. Publishing allegations or incomplete information without allowing sufficient time for a response is misleading the public and unfairly damages SAFA’s reputation. SAFA calls on the media to engage responsibly and allow reasonable time frames for responses to ensure accurate, balanced and fair reporting.”
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