WATCH | Bafana Bafana arrive, get settled in and train in Pachuca

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.

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.

Bafana coach Hugo Broos wanted to leave at least 10 days before thematch because he said it takes that length of time to adjust to high altitude.

Mexico City sits at 2,240m above sea level, 500m above high-altitude Johannesburg (1,750m).

Bafana’s training base in Pachuca sits at 2,430m.

A Tuesday arrival leaves South Africa about 10 days to adapt to the altitude.

TimesLIVE