Lyle Foster is part of the South Africa side that has qualified for this summer’s World Cup
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Lyle Foster’s journey to this summer’s World Cup with South Africa has been disrupted by an “embarrassing” visa debacle.
That’s according to South Africa’s sports minister Gayton McKenzie, who claimed the nation was “being made to look like fools” over the issue.
McKenzie demanded an explanation from South Africa's football association (SAFA) after the team’s flight to Mexico was delayed.
SAFA admitted Hugo Broos’ side had “experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials”.
“This SAFA travel & visa debacle is embarrassing & grossly unfair towards the players & coaching staff," McKenzie had written on X on Sunday.
The sports minister, however, later confirmed all the players have now received permission to travel and would be leaving for the tournament on Monday.
Yet visas, required for South Africa’s second group game in Atlanta, USA, had not yet been secured for the “assistant coach, team doctor, head of security and one analyst”, according to the government minister.
Bafana Bafana are due to face Jamaica in a friendly in Mexico on Friday, before kicking off their tournament with their opening group game against Mexico themselves on Thursday, June 11.
South Africa also face Czechia and South Korea in what is their first World Cup appearance since 2010, when they hosted the finals.
Foster, who has made the cut for South Africa’s final squad, missed a penalty last week as Broos’ men played out a goalless friendly draw with Nicaragua in Johannesburg.
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