• SAFA: ‘We are not worried by FIFA’s investigation’
Nigeria’s almost faded hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup was rekindled yesterday, when the world football governing body, FIFA, began proceedings against Group C leaders, South Africa, who are alleged to have fielded an ineligible player in one of their games of the ongoing qualifying series.
South Africa fielded Teboho Mokoena in a game against Lesotho when the Bafana Bafana midfielder, allegedly, was supposed to be on suspension after getting two yellow cards in previous games.
The 28-year-old midfield maestro helped South Africa to beat Lesotho 2–0 in the game played on March 21. And now, the South Africans have six days to convince FIFA that their star man was qualified to play in the said game.
The matter was raised during Bafana Bafana‘s recent World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria. According to various reports, Lesotho failed to make a protest to FIFA within the 24 hours after the conclusion of the match.
FIFA rules state that protests regarding ineligible players have to be made in writing “within 24 hours of the end of the match and shall be dealt with by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, otherwise they will be disregarded.”
The association, however, could still make a ruling even if the protest was lodged after 24 hours, according to SABC Sport.
If FIFA finds South Africa guilty of fielding an ineligible player, the Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 win over Lesotho will be overturned, with the three points and three goals awarded to Lesotho.
The implication is that South Africa will drop from 17 points to 14, which will make the last two games of the qualifying series interesting, especially for the Benin Republic, who are also on 14 points.
Third-placed Nigeria is on 11 points and will end on 17 points if they win their last two games against Lesotho and the Benin Republic. So, to win the World Cup ticket with 16 points, South Africa and the Benin Republic must lose their last two games in the series.
Realistically, Nigeria’s only hope of making the Mundial is by winning the two games, while hoping that the Benin Republic will lose or draw with Rwanda in Kigali. That way, Nigeria will finish second behind South Africa, which could be enough to end the series as one of the best four second-placed teams.
At the end of the qualifying series, the best four teams from all the groups will enter an African playoff for an inter-continental championship, which offers the winner a slot at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, still assured that South Africa will qualify for the World Cup no matter the outcome of FIFA’s investigations, SAFA CEO, Lydia Monyepao, said that they are not bothered by the latest development.
She disclosed that SAFA has received a letter from FIFA notifying them that the global football governing body has opened an investigation into the fielding of ineligible Mokoena, insisting that the association “wasn’t really concerned” about a possible loss of three points.
Monyepao said: “So, we’re preparing our response to the FIFA disciplinary committee because that’s what ultimately is required from us as the association.
“We are not really worried about that (FIFA’s investigation). I think our focus right now is to ensure that Bafana get maximum points come October (when they face Zimbabwe and Rwanda) because whatever happens, whether there’s docking of points or whatever you’re saying out there, if we get six points come October, nothing else is going to matter. It’s all about Bafana getting to the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.”
