South African midfielder Jayden Adams has died at the age of 25, just weeks after representing Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South African media reported his death on Saturday. At the time of publication, the cause of death had not been made public.
Adams featured in all three of South Africa’s group-stage matches at the World Cup. He helped Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time before the team lost 1-0 to Canada in the Round of 32.
Adams joined Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025 from Stellenbosch FC after establishing himself as one of South Africa’s brightest midfield talents.
During his time at Stellenbosch, he made 139 appearances and helped the club win the 2023 Carling Knockout title.
After moving to Sundowns, Adams added a league title and the CAF Champions League to his list of honours. He was also part of South Africa’s squad that secured the bronze medal at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Adams had been expected to rejoin Mamelodi Sundowns for pre-season training in Austria later this month following his World Cup campaign.
His death comes only weeks after the biggest tournament of his career.
Following South Africa’s World Cup run, head coach Hugo Broos had spoken about building the national team’s future around a core of younger players, with Adams widely regarded as one of those expected to play a key role.
As of Saturday, Mamelodi Sundowns had not issued an official statement on his death, and the cause of death remained undisclosed, according to South African media.
