South Africa departed for their World Cup training base in Pachuca on Monday ahead of their opening match against co-hosts Mexico on June 11, but did so without assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who is still awaiting a U.S. visa.

The team’s charter flight left Johannesburg after a hectic 24-hour delay, having originally been scheduled to depart on Sunday. The postponement came amid visa complications described as an administrative failure by the South African Football Association (SAFA).

Mkhalele, a former Bafana Bafana winger who earned 66 caps for his country and featured in South Africa’s World Cup debut in France in 1998, will join the squad later after his visa application was initially rejected.

Speaking to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SAFA president Danny Jordaan said the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg had denied the visa without providing a reason.

“They refused the visa, but gave no reasons. It is very difficult to deal with a process where you get no information,” Jordaan said.

“We don’t know why it was denied, we are clutching in the dark, but we hope the matter will be resolved soon. All of the players are on the flight and 99% of the technical staff are as well.”

South Africa are set to face Jamaica in a friendly match on Friday before heading into their opening World Cup clash against Mexico in Mexico City.

Head coach Hugo Broos expressed relief and optimism ahead of the tournament, saying the team is pleased to finally travel to Mexico after a challenging period. He noted that recent difficulties are now behind them, allowing full focus on the upcoming fixtures.

Broos added that the next 10 days will pass quickly once the team arrives, as preparations will immediately shift toward their first match against the hosts. He also said the squad is eager to begin their World Cup campaign.

South Africa have been drawn into Group A, where they will also meet the Czech Republic in Atlanta on June 18 and South Korea in Monterrey six days later.

This will be their fourth appearance at the World Cup finals, and they will be aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history.