With just a fortnight to go before the next Fifa window for international competition, no games have yet been announced for Bafana Bafana, never mind a new permanent coach.

South African Football Association (Safa) acting chief executive Russell Paul said efforts were being made to find opponents for the national team, who have the opportunity to assemble all their players for 10 days and have at least two matches.

But with only a temporary coach - Molefi Ntseki - in place, television and sponsorship deals up in the air and the association in dire financial straits, it would seem pointless at this stage.

South Africa do not have a competitive game before the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers kick-off in November when Bafana go away to Ghana and then host Sudan in the space of five days.

It is not certain yet whether Bafana will start the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in the October international window but there is definitely no competitive outing for them in the September 2-11 window offering the chance for meaningful preparatory matches.

Safa's financial woes saw them unable to put together decent friendlies ahead of the Cup of Nations in Egypt and any games they organise for next month would come at a major cost.

The budget for each international runs into the millions. There are heavy costs in flying players back from clubs in Europe and elsewhere around the world, keeping them in a hotel for 10 days and paying everyone concerned, not to mention the organisation costs of hosting a match (security, ground hire and so on). Then flying in opponents and paying them a match fee just adds to the red ink on Safa's balance sheet.

With general disenchantment with the Bafana side, Safa would look at a major loss at the gate too as the national team no longer attracts crowds to the stadiums.

South Africa's situation contrasts with that of other top African countries and goes some way to explaining why Bafana is slipping behind.