South African football is mourning the loss of midfielder Jayden Adams, who passed away at the age of 25 just weeks after being eliminated from the World Cup. The tragic news was confirmed by Africa Broadcasting eNCA on Saturday afternoon.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has not yet commented on Adams’ death. The midfielder was part of Hugo Blues’ side in this summer’s tournament, appearing in all three group stage matches against Mexico, Czech Republic and South Korea. However, he did not play in the 1-0 loss to Canada in the round of 32 knockout match, coming on as a substitute.
It was revealed that Adams played against Czech the day after his grandmother passed away.
“The South African Football Association (SAFA) is saddened to hear of the passing of Marianna, the grandmother of Bafana Bafana midfielder Jayden Adams,” SAFA said in a statement at the time.
“Marianna Adams, 72, passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2026, the day before the South African Senior Men’s National Team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match against the Czech Republic at Atlanta Stadium. She passed away in hospital in Stellenbosch and will be buried on Saturday, June 27, 2026 (South African time).
Adams made nine senior appearances for South Africa and was part of the Bafana team that won bronze at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
A product of Stellenbosch’s academy, Adams signed his first professional contract in 2020 before establishing himself as a key figure in the first team.
He played 139 games for the Cape Winelands club, which was the second-highest total in the club’s history until he finalized a move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
