South Africa Football Association Chief Executive Officer Tebogo Motlanthe has confirmed Iran have canceled plans to play Bafana Bafana in a friendly match in the FIFA international break of June.
Safa had proposed to face the Middle East nation – in Doha, Qatar – after their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Morocco on Thursday in Rabat.
“We had done all the paperwork with Iran where we were even asked to send the players’ passports. But later they came back to say they were unable to play us,” Motlanthe said, as per Sowetan Live.
“They said that through agents. And of course, because of their late cancellation we, unfortunately, do not have any friendly for this window period.”
The cancellation of the friendly means the 1996 Afcon champions will only play one game in June.
They were initially scheduled to face Morocco and Zimbabwe in this month’s Afcon qualifiers, but the latter were barred by CAF from participation since they are under FIFA suspension. The other member of Group K are Liberia, who South Africa will face in September.
“But the coach has promised to submit his September program, which will include friendlies,” he concluded.
The cancelation of the South Africa match once again puts into question FFIRI plans, scheduling, and support for Team Melli. This is now the fourth Friendly international match that Team Melli has been deprived of due to one reason or another/. The unique difference with the South Africa game is that Iran has unilaterally canceled the match, while in Canada’s case it was the opponents that canceled.
Iran is scdule to play against Algeria on 12th June in Doha, the only friendly arranged in haste in this unusually long FIFA day.