Hugo Broos instructs players during the South Africa Training at Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town on 30 March 2026 @Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Saturday May 02, 2026. 15:00
Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos intends for his squad to arrive in Mexico two weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup so that they can acclimatise to the altitude.
South Africa will be based in Pachuca, which is roughly 2,400m above sea level – 647m higher than Johannesburg, where many of their players ply their trade at club level.
Broos’ side kick off their Group A campaign against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on June 11 and the Belgian tactician stated that his players need time to adjust to the conditions in the North American country.
As such, Broos plans to travel to the capital of Hidalgo on May 30 and will start his squad off on light training before stepping up preparations after the first week.
“The first days it will be difficult to train at 100 per cent because of the altitude, so that is what we will do in the second week,” the 74-year-old said in an interview with Prime Sports With Mahlatse.
Bafana Bafana are set to do some travelling during the global showpiece as they face Czech Republic in Atlanta, Georgia on June 18 before taking on South Korea in Guadalupe six days later.