World Cup: Hope rises for Nigeria as South Africa risks points deduction

South Africa’s road to the 2026 Fifa World Cup has hit a potential brick wall following a yellow-card controversy surrounding midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

Mokoena was ineligible to play in his country’s crucial match against Lesotho, having garnered two successive yellow cards.

He had received a yellow card in their opening match against Benin and another in the following match against Zimbabwe.

According to Fifa’s regulations, a player who accumulates two yellow cards in separate matches must serve a one-match suspension.

This means Mokoena should not have featured in the Lesotho encounter.

Despite the clear rules, Mokoena was included in the starting line-up for the Matchday 5 match against Lesotho, playing 81 minutes before being substituted.

If the reports are confirmed, this could be a violation of Fifa’s qualification regulations, and South Africa may face a points deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

Currently, Bafana sit at the top of Group C with 10 points, just ahead of Benin (eight points) and Rwanda (seven points).

A points deduction would not only see them lose their top spot but also tighten the race for automatic qualification.

Nigeria, with just six points, could also capitalise on any misstep by South Africa. Given the competitive nature of Group C, even a small slip could be costly in the long run.

The issue stems from Fifa’s World Cup Qualifiers Rulebook, specifically sub-section 9, which clearly states that a player who receives two yellow cards in separate matches must serve a one-match suspension.

If the suspension rule is applied and Mokoena’s eligibility is found to be invalid, South Africa could lose the three points from their 2-0 win over Lesotho – a decision that would significantly impact the standings and increase pressure on the team in the final rounds of qualifiers.

In unrelated news, the South Africa Football Federation (SAFA) are also facing internal challenges.

Reports have emerged that Safa employees did not receive their salaries for March on time due to a delayed payment from one of their partners.

A letter sent to staff members on Monday stated that salaries would be delayed, citing a lack of adequate financial reserves to cover the delay.

“The March salaries will be paid by March 31, 2025,” the letter concluded, adding further complications to an already tumultuous period for South African football.

The permutations

Bafana Bafana, with 10 points, are in a tight race in African World Cup qualifying Group C.

They lead with a two-point gap over Benin, whom they face in a crucial clash in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Tuesday at 6 pm SA time.

Coach Hugo Broos’s South Africa will also be wary of Nigeria, lurking in fourth place on six points.

The Super Eagles had a nightmare start, drawing their first three matches and losing their fourth.

However, their 2-0 win away against Rwanda on Thursday has brought them back into contention.

If Bafana lose against Benin, ceding the lead to their opponents, the Super Eagles would only be a point behind South Africa with four matches remaining.

Given the tight situation, any sanction of points against the South Africans would be disastrous to their effort to reach the first 48-team World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the US next year.

The top teams in nine African groups qualify, while the four best runners-up go into an intercontinental playoff.

While Safa believes it is in the clear, there might be a major campaign by Lesotho and Nigeria to still have Bafana sanctioned.