17 April 2025 – South African Football Association (SAFA) Chief Medical Officer Dr Thulani Ngwenya is heading to this year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Dr Ngwenya often lends his vast experience to FIFA, CAF, COSAFA and many other tournaments on the globe and he has been once again asked by the world football governing body to avail himself to both events this year. The Beach Soccer World Cup will be held in Seychelles from 26 April – 12 May 2025, while Charlotte in the United States of America will host the Club World Cup from 17 June – 01 July 2025. SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan said Dr Ngwenya remains a huge representative of SAFA and continues to fly the flag of the Association.
“I am extremely honoured and highly privileged to be appointed to these prestigious tournaments. It is the global stage and one can only be humbled by such appointments. I am forever grateful to SAFA for giving me an opportunity to serve football when I was very young about a decade ago. I am extremely humbled by FIFA’s continued recognition,” Dr Ngwenya said.
The SAFA Chief Medical Officer recently completed the FIFA Emergency Medical Course last month.
The course took place in Rabat, Morocco, and it touched on very important aspects of Football Emergencies like Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Concussion, Heat Stroke, and many other Trauma incidences found in Football.
He also represented the country at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Among his many other highlights, the respected medical official was appointed as the Doping Control Officer for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He was also appointed by FIFA as a Doping Control Officer for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina in 2023. He also served in the same position during the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in 2022, and at last year’s continental tournament in Côte d’Ivoire where Bafana Bafana won the Broze medal. He is also a CAF Medical Commission Member.
