Prominent SA football supporter Joy “Mama Joy” Chauke is over the moon after she was invited to join global soccer fans at the Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup draw in the Asian country.

The draw is scheduled to take place in the city of Doha on April 1 this year.

The news of Chauke's trip was confirmed by the SA Football Association (Safa) in a statement.

“We are offering you a once-in-a-lifetime experience to visit Qatar and attend the draw,’’ read part of the invite from the 2022 World Cup organisers, according to Safa.

Despite Bafana Bafana having failed to qualify for the world showpiece, Chauke, who recently switched her allegiances from Orlando Pirates to the Premiership's new, high-flying Durban team Royal AM in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), has done enough to warrant the invite.

Chauke, the general secretary of SA National Supporters (SANASU), said she would not only be representing the organisation but also the country, Safa and Cosafa (Southern African football's ruling body).

“I will be among a few global faces of soccer fans at the draw. Provisionally, they have promised that a few more fans from SA, including SANASU president Saddam Maake, will make the trip during the World Cup tournament and we intend to leave a lasting impression there,” said Mama Joy.

Prominent SA fans such as Chauke and Maake gained a measure of global prominence as often-pictured and screened faces when SA hosted the 2010 Fifa World Cup. 

Chauke will leave the country on March 28 and return on April 3 and will travel with a Safa delegation that includes the association’s president, Danny Jordaan, deputy  and PSL chair Irvin Khoza and CEO Tebogo Motlanthe, who are all travelling to Doha for the Fifa Congress, Safa said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Safa, especially president Danny Jordaan, for embracing us supporters as critical stakeholders of the game,” Chauke said.