With a 2-0 victory over Lesotho last Friday, South Africa, who are presently leading Group C in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifiers, could face repercussions for fielding an ineligible player.
Teboho Mokoena, a midfielder for South Africa, was not allowed to play in the match against Lesotho because he had received two yellow cards in previous games.
Mokoena was given a warning once again in a 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in June 2024 after receiving his first yellow card in a 2-1 victory over the Benin Republic at home in November 2023.
In spite of this, he started against Lesotho and played for 82 minutes before being replaced by Thalente Mbatha.
FIFA’s qualifying rules state that a player who receives two yellow cards is not allowed to play in any more games.
FIFA regulations provide that if a player or team official receives two cautions in a single contest or throughout a series of games, they will be immediately suspended.
Lesotho and Nigeria, who are presently four points behind South Africa in the group, have the chance to publicly contest this circumstance. But any protest must be made as soon as possible.
Read Also: Tinubu’s Aide Criticizes Peter Obi: ‘He Knows Nothing About Democracy’
According to FIFA, player eligibility problems must be brought to the attention of the FIFA Match Commissioner in writing within two hours of the match. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee must then receive a complete report within twenty-four hours. The protest could be ignored if the deadline is missed.
Lesotho can receive three points, increasing their total to eight, if the protest is successful. Depending on the outcomes of future games, this result could drastically change the standings and enable Nigeria to pass South Africa.
Following five games, South Africa now leads the group with 10 points, closely followed by Rwanda (7 points), the Benin Republic (8 points), and Nigeria (6 points). An important factor in deciding South Africa’s place in this tough group will be their next game against the Benin Republic.
