The department of sport, arts and culture says it has made no financial commitments to send South African supporters to the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite earlier remarks about a possible fan initiative.
In a parliamentary Q&A session, the department clarified that any plan to send a group of fans to the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico remains conceptual and unfunded.
This follows comments by sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie who in February suggested that 50 South Africans could be selected through competitions to attend the global showpiece.
Speaking at the V&A Waterfront when the FIFA World Cup Trophy toured the country, McKenzie said: “You’ve got the minister for sport, the ‘Minister of Happiness’, a minister that makes things happen. Let me tell you there’s going to be fan parks, there’s going to be competitions.”
“We [are] even running a competition where 50 of the ‘Face of Africa’ can go to the World Cup. So people, you must put your face there, even if it’s a guy or woman. Our women here are more beautiful than those women (overseas), that is a fact,” said McKenzie.
He said they were going to have competitions for people who could dance as well as people who could make food.
“We are taking artists, dancers, podcasters, so that everybody can get the feel of what’s happening. They [are] not going for holiday, they [are] going to go and make sure the people there must know what’s happening,” he said.
“You are going to see a movie come [on] this one. I’m a minister that makes things happen.”
The announcement came as Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup after a 3–0 victory over Rwanda, marking their return to the tournament after a 16-year absence.
However, the latest clarification also comes against the backdrop of McKenzie’s earlier stance on government-funded fan travel.
In 2024, he said the department would stop sponsoring so-called “super fans”, including Joy Chauke, popularly known as Mama Joy, and Botha Msila, with funds redirected elsewhere.
“I have stopped all trips for super fans. We have athletes and artists who are struggling to raise money to attend sporting events and exhibitions. How do we justify paying for fans? We shall no longer be paying for these trips and will use that money where it’s needed the most,” said McKenzie on X.
While some have argued that super fans play an important role in promoting South Africa’s image globally, McKenzie’s position signalled a shift towards prioritising athletes and artists in sports funding.
In response to a parliamentary question from Leah Potgieter, the department distanced itself from any suggestion that public funds would be used for the proposed World Cup fan initiative.
Potgieter had asked how the move could be justified, given previous efforts to curb government-funded travel while athletes and artists faced financial constraints.
In its reply, the department said: “The minister’s statement in this regard was not intended to signal a return to government-funded ‘superfan’ travel initiatives. Rather, it was articulated as a potential nation-branding and cultural representation concept, aimed at showcasing South Africa’s vibrancy, diversity and youth identity on a global stage in support of Bafana Bafana.”
It stressed that any such initiative would depend entirely on private funding.
“The department will not utilise public funds for this purpose and the concept will not proceed in the absence of adequate external funding support,” it said.
“The department is exploring partnership-based models that would enable enhanced national support at major international tournaments, while remaining fully aligned with its primary responsibility to prioritise athletes, artists and developmental programmes.”
It also said that while preliminary internal discussions had taken place, no formal approvals or financial commitments had been made.
“No projected cost has been determined for implementation purposes, as the department has neither approved nor funded any such initiative.”
It also confirmed that no budgets have been reprioritised, no selection process or competition has been approved and no service providers have been appointed.
“Consequently, no costs associated with a selection process have been incurred. No service providers have been appointed and no procurement processes have been initiated for travel arrangements, competitions or any related services.”
It added that procurement would only be considered if a formal decision is taken and external funding is secured.
On planning, the department said: “No formal feasibility study has yet been completed, no final cost assessment has been approved, no formal risk evaluation has been concluded.”
The department said these processes will form part of the department’s internal considerations should a partnership-based model be confirmed and an implementation decision be taken.
“Preliminary internal assessments have, however, been undertaken to inform early-stage planning,” it said.
The clarification comes as new data highlights the steep cost facing South African fans hoping to attend the tournament.
According to analysts at GIGAcalculator, South Africa ranks among the most expensive countries from which to travel to the World Cup, with an average total cost of R35,812 per fan.
This includes an average return flight cost of R27,053, travel time of over 19 hours, and an additional R8,759 for expenses such as accommodation, visas and match tickets.
With costs high and no confirmed government support, South African fans may have to rely on their own pockets or potential private sponsorships to be part of the 2026 spectacle.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.