JOHANNESBURG-(MaraviPost) — South African Football Association (SAFA) presidential candidate Sandile Zungu has issued a firm deadline for the payment of outstanding 2026 FIFA World Cup bonuses owed to Bafana Bafana players and members of the technical team, warning that officials responsible for the delay could face dismissal if he wins the presidency.
Zungu made the demand on Monday, September 7, 2026, as pressure mounted on SAFA over the unpaid bonuses. Reports by South African media, including Sowetan, indicate that the association has yet to settle the World Cup-related payments despite receiving FIFA funds following Bafana Bafana’s historic progression to the knockout stage.
Zungu wants the money deposited into the beneficiaries’ accounts by close of business on Thursday.
He said that if the payments remain outstanding when he assumes office, those responsible for the delay would be required to account for their actions.
The AmaZulu chairman, who is challenging incumbent SAFA president Danny Jordaan in Saturday’s presidential election, argued that players should not have to wait for money they earned through their performances for the national team.
His position has added another layer of pressure to an already closely watched SAFA leadership contest, with the handling of player payments emerging as an important governance issue.
Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time, generating a significant financial return for SAFA. Earlier reporting on the association’s proposed bonus structure indicated that the players’ share would increase depending on how far the team progressed in the tournament.
The reported arrangement placed a substantial portion of the World Cup earnings in line for distribution among the players and technical team. After South Africa advanced from the group stage, reports placed the players’ share at about R65 million, with individual payments estimated at roughly R2.5 million depending on the final calculation.
SAFA, however, has rejected suggestions that it is deliberately withholding the money.
The association said the delay is linked to international tax compliance obligations arising from the World Cup matches being played in the United States and Mexico. SAFA said it appointed specialist legal and tax advisers in both countries to deal with the requirements.
According to SAFA, it has already obtained an Employer Identification Number from the United States Internal Revenue Service, while its American advisers are working on the required tax calculations and documentation. The association also said the process of addressing its Mexican tax obligations is nearing completion.
SAFA stressed that other payments due to players and support staff have been settled and that the outstanding amounts relate specifically to the World Cup bonuses.
The association has not announced a precise date for when the bonuses will reach the players’ accounts, saying only that the payments will be processed as soon as the outstanding tax requirements have been completed.
Zungu’s intervention comes days before the SAFA elective congress, where he is seeking to replace Jordaan. He has presented the bonus dispute as an example of the need for stronger administration, accountability and contractual discipline within South African football.
The presidential candidate has also spoken about broader reforms, including improving grassroots football, developing school programmes and strengthening South Africa’s ability to compete for major international honours rather than merely qualifying for tournaments.
For Bafana Bafana players, however, the immediate issue remains the outstanding World Cup money.
With Thursday now set as Zungu’s deadline, attention is likely to focus on whether SAFA can complete the international tax processes and release the bonuses before the presidential election.
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