SAFA presidential race takes a dramatic turn as Bailey throws weight behind Zungu

Bailey was the first candidate to come out openly about his plans to contest the incumbent Danny Jordaan for the SAFA top post when the elections are held in September 2026. Jordaan has not officially confirmed that he will be standing again, but a grouping aligned to him --- Football Transformation Forum (FTF), has held meetings in his presence and also went public that they are backing him for his fourth term at the next SAFA elective congress. 

Zungu’s campaign appears to be gathering some momentum, and this past weekend, he announced that he has responded to the call from the regions to challenge for the SAFA presidency. Earlier this year, there were reports that the Usuthu President had been courted by regions in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, but he had not made up his mind by then. 

But SABC Sport understands that there have since been a lot of developments, particularly after the recent SAFA Congresses in May, including most of the regions that are aligned to the Save Our SAFA (SOS) organisation. 

READ: Mexico win best night of my England career – Jude Bellingham

Bailey, also the SAFA Cape Town President---who has been Jordaan’s ally and a member of the FTF until recently, when he announced his candidacy, announced via a statement this past weekend that he is backing Zungu. This revelation comes on the back of provincial visits that Zungu and his campaign team have been making into different provinces, with the Western Cape having been the most recent province to be visited and meeting officials from different regions. 

“Since announcing my availability in April, the landscape has evolved significantly. One of the most important developments has been the emergence of Mr Sandile Zungu as a candidate for the SAFA Presidency.

“Accordingly, I have decided to withdraw my availability as a presidential candidate and to throw my full support behind Zungu’s campaign.

“I firmly believe President Zungu represents the calibre of leadership that South African football requires at this critical moment. He brings proven business acumen, strategic leadership, credibility, and fresh energy—qualities that can restore confidence in the governance of the beautiful game and position South African football for sustainable growth”, declares Bailey in the SAFA Cape Town statement, which SABC Sport has seen. 

With Bailey having committed himself to be a member of the SZ2026 campaign (Zungu’s campaign), the race for the SAFA hot seat is now becoming even more interesting, with the nominations set to close on 29 July 2026, and from thereon, SAFA will run the integrity and eligibility checks, to finalise the candidature list. 

A total of 52 regions, eight associate members, and a special member (Premier Soccer League) cast the votes at the SAFA congress, with each region’s vote equating to four votes. SABC Sport has gathered that Zungu’s campaign will officially be launched on 18 July 2026.

Photo Credit (BackpagePix)