South Africa’s sports ministry announced Saturday that international midfielder Jayden Adams, who represented his country at the 2026 World Cup, has died at the age of 25. No cause of death was disclosed.
Adams appeared in each of South Africa’s three Group A contests at the tournament. He started in the matches against Mexico and the Czech Republic, and entered as a substitute during the team’s 1-0 victory over South Korea — the result that secured South Africa’s historic first-ever berth in the knockout stage. The team was ultimately eliminated by Canada in that round.
The tournament carried personal heartbreak for Adams as well. His grandmother passed away the day before South Africa faced the Czech Republic, and he was substituted out at halftime during that game.
At the club level, Adams played for Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns, where he helped the team claim the African Champions League title during the 2025/26 season. He had joined Sundowns in January 2025 after coming through the youth system at Stellenbosch FC.
On the international stage, Adams earned his first cap against Mozambique in 2022. He went on to collect 13 appearances for the national side, scoring two goals — both coming in qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.
The South African Football Players’ Union released a statement mourning his passing. “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 organization said.
South Africa’s minister of sport Gayton McKenzie also shared his grief. “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.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino extended his sympathies through Instagram, writing that his “thoughts and condolences, as well as those of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates.”
