Last batch of BT Football Academy players who were stranded in Portugal land in Cape Town
A mother of one of the 15 young footballers making their way to Cape Town on Thursday said she'd had sleepless nights since hearing her son was stranded in Spain.
Families waiting at the Cape Town International Airport on 24 July 2025 for the last batch of kids that were stranded in Portugal. Picture: Eyewitness News / Cailynn Pretorius
CAPE TOWN - The last batch of 15 young football players and one of the coaches, who were left stranded in Europe after a botched football tour, have landed at Cape Town International Airport.
Thirty-four young footballers and four coaches flew to Spain earlier in July for a football tour arranged by BT Football Academy.
The academy failed to book return flights despite participants paying R50,000 each for the trip.
Nineteen players and three coaches have since returned to Cape Town safely, with the rest of the squad having just landed on Thursday afternoon.
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The mother of one of the 15 young footballers said she'd had sleepless nights since hearing her son was stranded in Spain.
Zukiswa Dlelembe from Mowbray said that she could not wait to see her son, Anathi.
"I'm so excited. I couldn't sleep last night. I think it's because of excitement and because we've been through hell in the last few days. I was not sleeping even, not having appetite. But now I'm very excited, I can't wait to see my son."
The young players who are from areas across Cape Town were split into three groups, with at least one coach accompanying them for each trip.