South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, may lose three crucial points in their bid for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after fielding an ineligible player during their 2-0 victory over Lesotho last Friday.
The controversy surrounds midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who should have been suspended for the match due to accumulated yellow cards. Mokoena was first booked in November 2023 during South Africa’s 2-1 home win against the Benin Republic. His second booking came in June 2024, in their 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe. Despite these two cautions, he played 82 minutes against Lesotho before being substituted for Thalente Mbatha.
FIFA’s rules for World Cup qualifiers clearly state that any player who receives two yellow cards in different matches must serve a one-game suspension. “If players or team officials receive two cautions in one match (in matches decided by penalties) or in two different matches of the competition, they will be automatically suspended from their team’s subsequent match,” FIFA stated in its rule book.
This means South Africa could face consequences if a protest is lodged against them. Nigeria and Lesotho, both trailing South Africa in Group C, could benefit if FIFA upholds a complaint. However, FIFA’s rules also require any protest about a player’s eligibility to be submitted within two hours after the match, followed by a full written report within 24 hours. If no formal complaint was filed within this timeframe, the issue might not be considered.
“If the protest is successful, Lesotho, who currently sit fifth in the group with five points, will be awarded three points, bringing their total to eight. This would also improve Nigeria’s chances of surpassing South Africa, depending on the results of Tuesday’s matches,” the report notes.
As it stands, South Africa lead Group C with 10 points, followed by the Benin Republic with eight, Rwanda with seven, and Nigeria with six. South Africa are set to face the Benin Republic in their next match, a crucial game that could determine their standing in the group. If FIFA takes action, it could significantly alter the race for the World Cup qualification spot.
