South Africa’s head coach Hugo Broos has voiced frustration over the unfolding drama that could see Bafana Bafana lose three points in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for fielding suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 victory against Lesotho. The saga has drawn Nigeria into the spotlight, accused by Broos of exerting undue pressure on FIFA to sanction South Africa.
Mokoena had accumulated two yellow cards in separate qualifiers against Benin and Zimbabwe, which under FIFA rules mandates a one-match suspension. Despite this, the midfielder played 82 minutes in the Polokwane fixture, triggering a formal protest from Lesotho’s Football Association to FIFA. If upheld, the protest would see South Africa forfeit the match, awarding the three points to Lesotho and reshuffling the Group C standings.
Coach Broos acknowledged the error but criticised Nigeria’s tactical move off the pitch, stating, “If there will be a moment that we lose three points, okay then, we lose the three points. But it is not right that another team, indirectly involved, pushes to make us lose points after the game. The rules say if there is no complaint at the time, there is nothing. Now, they want to pressure FIFA.” He further urged FIFA to “follow the rules and resist the pressure” while focusing on South Africa’s upcoming fixtures.
South Africa currently leads Group C with 13 points, a six-point margin over Nigeria, who sit fourth with seven points. A points deduction for South Africa would tighten the race, boosting Nigeria’s qualification hopes ahead of their critical September fixtures where Nigeria hosts Rwanda and then travels to face South Africa in Bloemfontein.
FIFA’s regulations require disputes over player eligibility to be raised within two hours of a match and subsequently followed up within twenty-four hours—deadlines that Lesotho missed, according to South African officials. The final decision by FIFA’s disciplinary committee will be closely watched, given the high stakes in this tightly contested group.
The South African Football Association and Coach Broos maintain that the issue remains resolvable while urging concentration on earning results on the pitch rather than off it. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Football Federation and supporters see the matter as a fair challenge to upholding the rules as the qualifiers intensify.
