Johannesburg, July 11: South African football is in mourning following the death of national team midfielder Jayden Adams at the age of 25, less than three weeks after he represented his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Adams, who played for Mamelodi Sundowns, featured prominently in South Africa’s historic World Cup campaign. He started Bafana Bafana’s opening two Group Stage matches—a 2-0 defeat to hosts Mexico and a 1-1 draw against Czechia—before coming off the bench in a memorable 1-0 victory over South Korea that secured the nation’s first-ever qualification for the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.
The South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) expressed its grief in a statement on Saturday.The cause of Adams’ death has not yet been disclosed. Neither the South African Football Association nor SAFPU immediately provided further details.Adams rose through the youth ranks at Stellenbosch FC and became the club’s first academy graduate to sign a professional contract. During his time with the club, he made 139 senior appearances before completing a move to Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025. (Agencies)
