- South Africa are acceptable to cognize their destiny successful the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers arsenic FIFA is acceptable to marque a decision
- Bafana Bafana await the satellite shot governing body's stance, having fielded an ineligible subordinate against Lesotho
- The country's Football Association has been notified that they volition apt beryllium docked 3 points from the qualifiers
Top officials astatine the South African Football Association (SAFA) are connected borderline arsenic the organisation braces for a imaginable three-point deduction successful the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
According to Soccer Laduma, FIFA is acceptable to regularisation connected Bafana Bafana’s fielding of an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, successful their Matchday 5 triumph against Lesotho.
FIFA regulations mandate a one-match suspension for a subordinate who has received 2 yellowish cards successful abstracted qualifier matches.

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Mokoena, who had been cautioned successful matches against Benin (MD1) and Zimbabwe (MD4), was named successful the starting lineup for the 2-0 triumph implicit Lesotho, prompting the investigation.
Sources adjacent to SAFA bespeak that the organisation whitethorn person received confirmation of the punishment from FIFA oregon the Confederation of African Football (CAF). He said per Guardian:
“We can’t constituent fingers now—what’s done is done. We indispensable absorption connected winning each remaining constituent to qualify."The imaginable forfeiture of the effect against Lesotho would spot South Africa driblet to 13 points.
This would jeopardise their presumption atop CAF qualifying Group C, wherever they presently pb with 13 points, conscionable up of Rwanda and Benin (8 points each), portion Nigeria trails with 7 points.
Nigeria person continued to propulsion for FIFA's hammer connected Bafana Bafana successful bid to reposition themselves successful the qualifying series, Own Goal reports.
Rohr opens up connected South Africa's ineligible player
Meanwhile, the caput manager of the Benin nationalist shot team, Gernot Rohr, has reacted to the ongoing contention surrounding South Africa’s alleged usage of an ineligible subordinate during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Rohr called connected FIFA to apply the aforesaid standard utilized successful Nigeria’s 2018 case, wherever the Super Eagles were sanctioned aft fielding Shehu Abdullahi, who had accumulated 2 yellowish cards, successful a lucifer against Algeria.
Nigeria had already secured qualification, but FIFA penalised them for the infraction.

Source: Getty Images
The 71-year-old manager emphasised that South Africa’s lawsuit should beryllium judged strictly according to the rules, arsenic the African shot assemblage awaits FIFA’s determination up of the adjacent circular of qualifiers.
Okocha sends connection to Osimhen, Lookman
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles icon Austin Jay-Jay Okocha issued a stern warning to cardinal players Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman arsenic Nigeria are connected the brink of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Okocha, who experienced Nigeria’s lack from the 2006 World Cup successful Germany and the 2022 variation successful Qatar, shared that the symptom of missing the 2006 tourney inactive lingers contempt his 3 World Cup appearances.
He cautioned that the existent squad risks a akin fate, with an full procreation perchance missing retired connected the planetary stage
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Source: Legit.ng