Bafana World Cup strike looming as SAFA plans controversial bonus cuts

A standoff is looming between Bafana Bafana players and the South African Football Association (SAFA) over a controversial proposal to reduce their bonuses.  

SAFA, during the chaotic and aborted National Executive Committee meeting last Saturday, had planned to table the new proposal which will see players earn between 20 per cent and 45 per cent of prize money from major tournaments depending on how far they perform.

According to the Sowetan, the new move, which will also affect Banyana Banyana, will see national team players and staff entitled to 20 per cent of the prize money if they are eliminated at the group stage after finishing last, 22 per cent if they get knocked out after a third-place finish in their group and 25 per cent for a Round of 16 exit.

New Bafana bonus structure against previous payouts

The bonus goes up to 30 per cent of the prize money if they reach the quarter-final, 34 per cent for fourth place at the tournament and 44 per cent for third place. There will be no difference between finishing second or winning a tournament as SAFA is proposing a 45 per cent share of the prize money to the players and staff for either of the two achievements.

Bafana Bafana are set to feature at the 2026 World Cup between June and July while Banyana Banyana will play at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in August, tournaments where SAFA hopes to apply the new bonus structure.

This is against what has been paid before, an example being AFCON 2023, where the players and staff shared R40 million of the R47 million awarded to South Africa for finishing third.

However, that is likely to run into headwinds as the players have reportedly not been consulted and are set to oppose it, leading to a potential strike before or during the World Cup.

New proposal could lead to World Cup strike

“I’m not aware of national captains being consulted,” a SAFA NEC member told the Sowetan on condition of anonymity. “The finance committee merely wrote the document and expects us to give it the go-ahead. It’s not the way to go because that’s why you find national teams going on strike when in camp already.”

If the proposal is passed, Bafana Bafana players would get just 20 per cent of the R144 million that will be awarded to teams that finish fourth in their groups at the 2026 World Cup, 30 per cent of R310 million if they reach the quarter-final and 45 per cent of R815 million which is the winner’s prize, were they to achieve the ‘impossible’ in North America.

South Africa, who will camp in Pachuca, Mexico will kick off the World Cup with a game against co-hosts Mexico on June 11 before taking on a European team that will be determined from this month’s playoff and conclude with a tricky game against South Korea.

SAFA keen to avoid spending big on Bafana

The bonus proposal could see players boycott training before or after arriving in Mexico if it is not sorted out on time, disrupting coach Hugo Broos’ World Cup preparations.

SAFA has been struggling to pay national team bonuses and is looking to cushion itself through the controversial new proposal.

“If FIFA splits the money between players and member associations, then the Bafana bonuses must be the same as what is allocated by FIFA. SAFA will not contribute additional bonuses to the players,” reads part of the proposal.

The SA Players Union president Thulani Hlatshwayo told the Sowetan that he plans to study the proposal and engage stakeholders before making a comment.