Sports ministry confirms death of Jayden Adams on Saturday after World Cup group run
byMINA ALLEN | The National News Desk
Sat, July 11, 2026 at 10:43 AM
FILE – South Africa’s Jayden Adams during the World Cup Group A soccer match between Czechia and South Africa in Atlanta, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, File)
WASHINGTON (TNND) —South Africa’s international <a href="https://todaytrendnews7.com/south-africa-world-cup-midfielder-jayden-adams-dies-at-25/" title="South Africa World Cup midfielder Jayden Adams dies at 25″>midfielder Jayden Adams, who played in all three of South Africa’s group-stage games at the 2026 World Cup, has died, according to the country’s sports ministry on Saturday
Currently, no cause of death has been shared
Adams, 25, played in Group A’s games against Mexico and the Czech Republic as well as leading the 1-0 win over South Korea
Adams’ grandmother died a day before South Africa played the Czechs, and replaced at halftime
“South African football has lost a gifted player, a proud servant of the game and a young life that still had so much to offer,” the South African Football Players’ Union, an official body for players in the country, said in a statement
South Africa’s minister of sport, Gayton McKenzie, also expressed his condolences about the young player’s death
“Our nation mourns alongside his family, his teammates and the millions of supporters who watched him grow from a promising academy prospect into a full Bafana Bafana international,” McKenzie said in a statement
FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, offered his condolencesthose of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates.”
