Flying Bafana Bafana to international away games has become very expensive for the South African Football Association (Safa).
Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao revealed that long-distance travel, especially across Africa, creates significant financial challenges, FarPost reported.
To ensure the team is well-rested for back-to-back games, Safa uses costly private charter flights.
For example, the private flight to Nigeria cost about R3.5 million, and the upcoming trip to Congo Brazzaville is expected to cost even more.
Shorter flights, such as from Bloemfontein to Brazzaville, cost around R2.5 million.
These high costs are a heavy burden on Safa’s budget. Monyepao said that Safa is appealing to sponsors and the government for assistance in covering these expenses.
“We’re getting quotes so we can appeal to our sponsors and government to help us,” she said.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos thanked Safa for arranging the private flight to Nigeria. Without it, the team would have had to take a 20-hour commercial flight with stops, which could have affected their performance.
Monyepao also mentioned that they are considering hosting Bafana Bafana matches in cities outside Gauteng, such as Polokwane, Cape Town, and Mbombela, to reduce costs. However, Safa would still need to cover the expenses of getting the team to these cities.
Compiled by Staff Writer
Pictured above: Bafana Bafana.
Source: Bafana Bafana/X
