Explained: How Super Eagles could qualify for 2026 World Cup after South Africa’s 3 points penalty

2 weeks ago 14
  • FIFA volition deed South Africa with a three-point deduction successful the 2026 World Cup qualifier race
  • Bafana Bafana fielded the ineligible Teboho Mokoena successful the 2-0 matchday 5 triumph implicit Lesotho
  • The deduction volition boost the Super Eagles’ chances successful their quest to suffice for the tournament

FIFA person reportedly handed South Africa a three-point deduction aft fielding an ineligible subordinate during their 2-0 triumph implicit Lesotho connected matchday 5 of the World Cup qualifier.

Teboho Mokoena received yellowish cards connected matchday 1 and four, frankincense suspended for matchday five, but featured for 82 minutes during matchday five’s triumph implicit Lesotho.

Teboho Mokoena, Mamelodi Sundowns, Borussia Dortmund, TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, FIFA Club World Cup.Teboho Mokoena playing for Mamelodi Sundowns astatine the FIFA Club World Cup. Photo by Michael Reaves.
Source: Getty Images

According to Score Nigeria, Bafana Bafana person been docked 3 points for the incident, and the satellite shot governing assemblage volition marque it authoritative up of the September window.

Nigeria enactment themselves successful a atrocious spot connected the qualifying bid aft 4 draws, 1 triumph and 1 nonaccomplishment successful the archetypal six matches to beryllium 4th successful Group C with six points.

Jose Peseiro managed draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, Finidi George drew South Africa and mislaid to Benin Republic, earlier Eric Chelle bushed Rwanda, but devastatingly drew Zimbabwe.

How Nigeria could suffice for 2026 World Cup

South Africa presently pb Group C with 13 points and though they volition clasp their spot astatine the apical of the table, their points volition beryllium reduced to 10 erstwhile the punishment is effected.

Rwanda and Benin Republic beryllium successful 2nd and 3rd spot with 8 points each, portion the Super Eagles of Nigeria are 4th with 7 points from the archetypal six games.

South Africa’s points deduction is simply a invited improvement for the Eagles, who would beryllium lone 3 points down Bafana Bafana erstwhile the punishment is implemented.

This further moves them person to the apical of the array and presents a realistic accidental of finishing arsenic radical winners, frankincense securing the automatic slot from the group.

It is important to decorativeness apical of the radical arsenic Nigeria whitethorn not accumulate capable points to decorativeness among the 4 champion second-placed teams who would enactment successful the playoffs.

Namibia, Mozambique, Cameroon and Senegal each person 12 points successful 2nd spot successful their groups, portion Gabon person 15 points successful 2nd place. All are connected people to decorativeness with much than 19 points, which is the maximum points the Super Eagles can attain.

Victor Osimhen, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey, Stanley Nwabali, William Troost-Ekong, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles, Nigeria, Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda.Super Eagles players earlier their 2-0 triumph implicit Rwanda successful Kigali. Photo from @NGSuperEagles.
Source: Twitter

As noted by The NFF, Eric Chelle's broadside volition look Rwanda astatine the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium successful Uyo successful September earlier travelling to look South Africa 4 days later.

The squad indispensable triumph their remaining 4 games and, astir importantly, indispensable bushed South Africa astatine their home, to bounds their scope and adjacent the spread astatine the apical of the table.

Chelle’s broadside indispensable besides people capable goals to person a superior extremity quality than Bafana Bafana, arsenic it would beryllium a tiebreaker if some teams decorativeness connected the aforesaid points.

South Africa judge FIFA's punishment

Legit.ng antecedently reported that South Africa accepted FIFA's punishment aft an insider from their shot federation disclosed an interior acceptance of guilt.

The root called connected applicable authorities to instrumentality enactment against those liable for the incidental that could outgo the state the accidental of playing astatine the World Cup.

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Source: Legit.ng

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