South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams dies at 25
The Mamelodi Sundowns and South Africa midfielder had appeared in three matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup last month.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Jayden Adams, a South Africa midfielder who played at the 2026 FIFA World Cup last month, has died at age 25, the South African Football Players Union said Saturday, according to Reuters. The union did not announce an official cause of death.
Adams played club football for Mamelodi Sundowns and represented South Africa’s national team, known as Bafana Bafana. His death comes shortly after he appeared in three World Cup matches for South Africa during the tournament in the United States.
SAFPU said it was devastated by the death of the Mamelodi Sundowns and national team midfielder. The union said Adams had recently carried South Africa’s hopes at the World Cup and described his death as a loss for his family, teammates, clubs and the wider football community.
The union also extended condolences to Adams’s family, Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch FC, Bafana Bafana and others connected to him, according to Reuters.
World Cup appearances
Adams started two of the three World Cup matches in which he played for South Africa, Reuters reported. He was in the lineup for the 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, a match played the day after the death of his grandmother, Marianna.
He also started South Africa’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico. Adams came off the bench in the team’s 1-0 victory over South Korea.
When South Africa were eliminated by Canada on June 28, Adams was listed among the substitutes but did not play, according to Reuters.
South Africa’s minister of sports, arts and culture, Gayton McKenzie, said he had contacted Adams after the death of Adams’s grandmother to offer condolences. McKenzie said Adams’s response was humble and appreciative, and that his decision to keep representing the national team after that bereavement showed character and professionalism beyond his age.
Club career
Before the World Cup, Adams helped Mamelodi Sundowns win the CAF Champions League, Reuters reported. He had joined Sundowns after previously playing for Stellenbosch FC.
Adams dedicated his Champions League medal with Sundowns to Oshwin Andries, a former Stellenbosch teammate who died after being stabbed in 2023, according to Reuters.
SAFPU described Adams as a talented footballer and a committed representative of the game in South Africa. The union said his death had taken a young player who still had much more to give.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.