21-07-2025
Cape Town kids stranded in Spain after football tour falls apart
A Cape Town-based youth football academy faces criticism after a group of 28 people got stranded in Spain following a failed international tour.
25 children between the ages of 13 – 18, and 3 coaches were part of a delegation. The group travelled to San Sebastián to compete in the Donosti Cup, one of Europe's largest youth football tournaments.
Nearly a week after their scheduled return, many kids remain stuck overseas without return flights.
The Cape Town academy behind the trip says visa delays caused the chaos. In a public statement, the academy said late visa appointment slots left them scrambling to book flights days before departure.
The academy said that the prices had skyrocketed. It also claims to have approached government departments for help, with no success.
'By the time the visas were processed and travel arrangements could be finalised, the cost of return flights had increased dramatically. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to book flights for the full group within the budget originally planned,' the academy said.
The team should have arrived back in South Africa on 16 July. Parents had allegedly paid R50,000 for the trip. The academy marketed the trip as a fully inclusive tour covering flights, accommodation, meals, and competition fees.
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, confirmed that they are aware of the situation. In a Facebook post, McKenzie said that they are currently gathering all the facts surrounding the situation and will revert the issue to the Ministry of DIRCO.
'We shall hopefully have answers today,' McKenzie said.
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