2026 WCQ: Why FIFA Is Unlikely To Sanction South Africa Despite Ineligible Player Allegations
- South Africa’s dream of playing at the 2026 World Cup is under threat as they face allegations of fielding an ineligible player
- Bafana Bafana could be sanctioned by FIFA and have three points forfeited for playing Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho
- FIFA rules allow discretion, meaning South Africa might likely escape severe punishment by the football body
South Africa’s World Cup qualifying campaign has been overshadowed by claims of fielding an ineligible player, which could cost Hugo Broos’ side dearly.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena picked up two yellow cards earlier in the qualifiers, which should have warranted a one-match suspension. Instead, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder played in the 2-0 victory over Lesotho.
Source: Getty Images
Lesotho reportedly quickly lodged a protest, demanding that South Africa be punished, Soccernet reports.
Their request was straightforward as they demanded FIFA overturn the result to a 3-0 defeat and deduct three points from Bafana Bafana.
Such a sanction would dramatically shift the balance in Group C, where Nigeria, with 10 points, and Benin, with 11 points, are chasing South Africa for qualification, as seen on FIFA.com.
But almost six months later, FIFA has yet to reach a verdict.
What do FIFA rules say?
Under FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, two yellow cards across different matches mean automatic suspension for the next game.
The responsibility now lies with the national federation to track suspensions and ensure only eligible players take part.
Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh broke it down on his podcast and has analysed the entire scenario and the likely outcome.
If the protest is valid, South Africa would normally forfeit the game. That means the 2-0 win over Lesotho would be overturned to a 3-0 defeat, with goal difference adjusted accordingly.
Such a decision would hurt South Africa’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup, a tournament they last played in when they hosted it back in 2010.
Instead of gaining three points and a positive goal margin, Bafana Bafana would lose both.
Lesotho, in turn, would be awarded the victory, which could alter Group C standings at a critical stage of the qualifiers.
Why a FIFA sanction may never happen
Despite the clear rule, FIFA’s silence has raised questions, and according to Oliseh, the delay stems from the procedure.
Source: Getty Images
FIFA’s disciplinary committee often takes weeks, sometimes months, to gather reports, confirm card records, and verify whether protests were filed correctly.
For a protest to hold, Lesotho had to submit it within two hours of the match and provide supporting documents within 24 or 48 hours.
If this process was not followed precisely by Lesotho, the case could collapse.
Even if the protest was valid, FIFA has discretionary power, and in rare cases, if the error is deemed administrative rather than intentional, the punishment can be reduced.
That might mean South Africa escaping with a fine or a warning, especially since Mokoena was not used in the next World Cup qualifier against Benin.
Analyst recalls Nigeria, Gabon cases in FIFA eligibility row
A sports analyst, Habeeb Kuranga, has weighed in on the allegation that South Africa fielded an ineligible player during the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, drawing parallels with past FIFA decisions.
Speaking with Legit.ng, he said:
“The 2018 World Cup qualifying series for African nations saw the Super Eagles of Nigeria receive the maximum punishment when an ineligible player was fielded. The footballer in question is Kano Pillars midfielder, Shehu Abdullahi, who featured in the Eagles' 1-1 draw against Algeria despite receiving his second booking in the qualifiers against Zambia prior to the matchup with the Desert Foxes. It was not until the last day of the campaign that FIFA pulled the strings.”
Kuranga also recalled another precedent involving Gabon:
“The same year's qualifying rounds saw Gabon fielded an ineligible player, Merlin Tandjigora, who should have been suspended in the Panthers' 3-0 win over Ivory Coast as a result of two yellow cards brandished to him before the encounter. However, Gabon effectively escaped with a fine as against forfeiting the match 3-0.”
Turning to the current case, the analyst explained that South Africa may face similar consequences:
“In the case of South Africa fielding Teboho Mokoena, who should have been left out of their 2-0 win over Lesotho due to him receiving two yellow cards prior to the game, any of the two aforementioned sanctions could be meted out to the Bafana Bafana.”
FIFA release official communication on South Africa
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the world's football governing body, FIFA, has released an official communication hours before the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Nigeria.
Via its official X handle, FIFA wrote that two more teams from Africa could secure World Cup qualification after Morocco and Tunisia.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a sports analyst for this report.
Source: Legit.ng
