A sudden departure of the South African star after his participation in the 2026 World Cup

The South African Ministry of Sports announced today, Saturday, the death of national team midfielder Jayden Adams, who participated in all three of his team’s matches in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The cause of death was not revealed.

Adams (25 years old) participated in the team’s starting lineup in the first group matches against Mexico and the Czech Republic, and came on as a substitute in the match in which his country won 1-0 over South Korea, which ensured that the team qualified for the knockout rounds for the first time, before losing the tournament to Canada.

Adams was playing for the South African club Mamelodi Sundowns, and helped the team win the African Champions League title in the 2025-2026 season.

The South African Footballers’ Association, the official body that represents players in the country, said in a statement, “South African football has lost a talented player, one of the devotees of this sport, and a young man whose career still held great promise.”

South Africa’s Sports Minister, Jayden McKenzie, also expressed his condolences.

McKenzie said in a statement, “The country shares the grief of the player’s family, his teammates, and millions of fans, after they accompanied his rise from a promising player in his club’s academy to an international player in the national team.”

Adams trained at the Stellenbosch Academy in South Africa, and joined Sundowns in January 2025.

He played his first international match against Mozambique in 2022, participated in 13 international matches, and scored two goals in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.