Super Eagles' quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been given a lifeline after FIFA deducted three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in a qualifier.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee found that Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena should not have featured in their preliminary clash with Lesotho on March 21, 2025. The body ruled that the South African Football Association (SAFA) breached both Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.
As punishment, the match result was overturned in favour of Lesotho, who were awarded a 3-0 victory. SAFA was also fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received an official warning.
The sanction drastically alters the complexion of Group C, where South Africa had been leading with 17 points from eight matches. With the deduction, Bafana’s tally has dropped, allowing Benin to leapfrog them into first place after their 2-0 win against Lesotho was replaced with a 3-0 defeat.
For Nigeria, the decision provides a renewed opportunity to climb back into contention for one of Africa’s prized World Cup tickets, as the Super Eagles now face a much more open qualification battle.
FIFA noted that the ruling is subject to appeal, with SAFA having ten days to request a detailed judgment before the matter can be escalated to the FIFA Appeal Committee.
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