NATIONAL NEWS - Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has provided a breakdown of the approximately R31 million spent on South Africa’s Fifa World Cup 2026 delegation and programme.
This follows questions raised in Parliament and the media about the amount of taxpayers' money spent by McKenzie and other members of his ministerial team at the world cup.
According to McKenzie, private sector partners, including Brand South Africa, Coca-Cola, Honor, Betway, Cell C and Old School, funded Lucky Fans, journalists, podcasters and influencers who went with, as well as fan mobilisation activities.
“That sponsorship sat outside the department’s own expenditure. The Fifa World Cup was the largest global sports, arts and culture platform of the year, and it only comes around every four years.
“Spending public money to position South Africa on such a platform is not a deviation from the department's - it is exactly the mandate,” McKenzie said in a statement on Sunday.
According to sanews.gov.za a total of 151 South African participants were sent to Mexico and the United States for the World Cup, excluding the service provider team.
McKenzie provided the following breakdown of the R30 945 370,15 spent on the world cup:
- McKenzie and two support staff, the director-general and the project team (14 members): R7 865 134,97. (Mckenzie's own flights, accommodation and insurance, as invoiced by the department’s travel agent, came to R1 058 379,75.)
- South Africa 2010 Legends Exhibition Match (involving 27 people): R6 706 925
- Suites / hospitality venues: R3 361 845,18
- Spectator match tickets: R3 011 465
- Programme activities linked to fan engagement, Aldea Global participation, Atlanta partnership activations, Monterrey and legacy activities, including the costs of 30 artists and cultural participants and the project delivery team from a service provider: R10 000 000
"The match between the 2010 Bafana Bafana legends and Mexico’s 2010 legends was filled. Our football legends didn’t just travel to watch football.
"They represented South Africa in an official exhibition match and legacy events that celebrated our football history and kept the spirit of 2010 alive while promoting South African football on the global stage," McKenzie said.
He said R10 million was spent on building South Africa’s presence at the Fifa World Cup, including funding the design, construction and installation of exhibition spaces in Mexico City, Atlanta and Monterrey.
He said it covered branding, décor, lighting, sound, screens, technical equipment, furniture, logistics, transport, security, maintenance and the teams that built, operated and later dismantled the spaces.
“It funded the actual programme that thousands of football fans experienced. South African musicians performed live.
"Our chefs introduced the world to South African food. Local artists and crafters displayed and sold South African products proudly.
"Businesses promoted South Africa as a tourism destination and an investment destination. Visitors walked away with a better understanding of our country, our people and what South Africa has to offer,” McKenzie said.
