In a personal letter, FA executive director David Davies wrote to his SAFA counterpart, chief executive Danny Jordaan:

"As I told you on the phone earlier today, everybody here in England is deeply shocked by what happened at Ellis Park.

"We can only imagine how you are feeling and obviously our sympathy goes out to the families of all those people who have lost their lives in such terrible circumstances.

"Danny, our predecessors here at the FA in England know what it was like to go through such terrible events.

"I know the impact that these events had on their lives.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody touched by this tragedy in South Africa.

"Meanwhile, you will know that your friends in England will seek to do anything that is helpful at this tragic time."

Forty three people died in the stampede at Ellis Park on Wednesday night.