South Africa’s national football team may face repercussions after fielding Teboho Mokoena in their recent 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho despite the midfielder being ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards.
Mokoena’s Ineligibility Oversight
Mokoena played a crucial role in South Africa’s 1-0 victory over Lesotho in round five of the qualifiers. However, the South African Football Association (SAFA) later admitted that the player should have been suspended for the match. A SAFA official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Mokoena had received yellow cards during the matchday one fixture against Benin in 2023 and again on matchday four against Zimbabwe last year, leading to an automatic one-match ban.
“The team management was guilty of incompetence ahead of the Lesotho match. Mokoena should not have played,” the official told AFP.
Despite this oversight, FIFA regulations state that any protest must be lodged within 24 hours after a match concludes. Reports indicate that Lesotho may not have filed an official complaint within the required timeframe.
Lesotho Seeks FIFA and CAF Intervention
Lesotho Football Association (LFA) secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi confirmed that the organization had sent a formal inquiry to FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding Mokoena’s eligibility. However, he did not specify when the inquiry was submitted. According to FIFA’s disciplinary code, the 24-hour protest deadline is non-negotiable.
South Africa’s Crucial Win Against Benin
Following the controversy, South Africa benched Mokoena in their next fixture against Benin, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory. Despite dominating possession and facing minimal threats, it took Bafana Bafana 53 minutes to find the net.
Lyle Foster broke the deadlock after a precise cross from Fawaaz Basadien, forcing the ball past Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou. South Africa sealed the win six minutes before full-time when substitute Jayden Adams headed in an Oswin Appollis free-kick.
How the Standings Could Change
The victory lifted South Africa to 13 points, strengthening their bid to qualify for their first World Cup since hosting the tournament in 2010. Their group rivals currently stand as follows:
- Rwanda & Benin: 8 points each
- Nigeria: 7 points
- Lesotho: 6 points
- Zimbabwe: 4 points
However, should FIFA rule in favor of Lesotho’s appeal, South Africa could be docked points, dropping to 10, while Lesotho could gain an extra three points, moving to 9. With four rounds remaining, this could significantly impact the qualification race.
What’s Next?
SAFA will now wait for FIFA’s decision, which could determine the trajectory of South Africa’s World Cup qualification campaign. As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on FIFA’s ruling and its potential implications for the Group C standings.
