The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA are demanding further details around just how much was actually spent. Pictured is Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) Minister Gayton McKenzie
Image: Facebook/DSAC
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) has provided a breakdown of the R30 945 370.15 spent on South Africa's programme linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following growing calls from opposition parties for greater transparency.
According to the department, the expenditure covered:
- Official travel
- The Legends Exhibition Match
- Hospitality suites
- Spectator tickets
- Tournament-related programme activations
The department said the official travel component for Minister Gayton McKenzie, two support staff, the Director-General and a 14-member project team was estimated at R7 865 134.97.
This amount included:
- International flights
- Accommodation
- Local transport
- Subsistence
- Operational support costs
Minister's individual costs still being calculated
DSAC said it had not yet separated McKenzie's individual costs from those of the wider project team because expenses such as security, protocol and logistics were procured as a single package.
The department said it was finalising a person-by-person reconciliation, which would include each traveller's name, title, role, city visited, programme participation, duration of stay, flight, accommodation, transport, subsistence and travel (S&T), visa, insurance, accreditation, match tickets, hospitality costs and funding source where applicable.
"The department is taking care not to guess figures where invoices are still being reconciled," it said.
It added that the final report would distinguish between State-funded travellers, sponsor-funded participants and implementation partner personnel to ensure an accurate account of the expenditure.
Programme included more than officials
DSAC said the World Cup programme extended beyond government officials and included artists, cultural participants, football legends, media partners, sponsored fans and implementation support teams.
It said not everyone travelled at the State's expense, with some costs covered through sponsorships or implementing partners.
The department described the initiative as a scaled-down FIFA World Cup support programme focused on Aldea Global, Atlanta, Monterrey, fan engagement, cultural promotion and 2010 FIFA World Cup legacy activities involving former football legends.
Opposition demands further transparency
The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA have continued to press McKenzie for a more detailed account of the spending.
The DA said it would submit additional parliamentary questions and seek to have the minister appear before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture.
ActionSA questioned whether the expenditure represented value for money, arguing that ministers should be fully transparent about taxpayer-funded travel, accommodation, hospitality and other benefits. It also raised concerns that McKenzie's personal expenditure had not yet been separated from the delegation's overall costs.
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FIFA World Cup 2026