2026 WCQ: South Africa Unfazed By FIFA Investigation Over Mokoena’s Eligibility

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has expressed assurance pursuing FIFA’s announcement that it has launched disciplinary proceedings regarding the fielding of suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena successful a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho successful March.

FIFA confirmed past week that it would analyse South Africa’s determination to see Mokoena successful their 2-0 triumph implicit Lesotho, contempt the midfielder having received 2 yellowish cards earlier successful the qualifiers, which should person mandated an automatic one-match suspension.

SAFA’s Chief Executive, Lydia Monyepao, addressed reporters, stating: “We’ve received connection from FIFA regarding the probe into the Lesotho lucifer successful which Teboho Mokoena was fielded. We are presently preparing our effect for the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, arsenic that is our work arsenic an association.”

According to the FIFA Disciplinary Code, immoderate squad that fields an ineligible player, owed to suspension oregon different reasons, automatically forfeits the match, with the default punishment being a 3-0 loss, unless the existent effect was little disadvantageous to the offending team.

The Nigerian Football Federation has welcomed FIFA’s decision, which offers the Super Eagles a glimmer of anticipation for qualification. Currently sitting successful 3rd spot successful Group C with 11 points, Nigeria trails the Bafana Bafana, who pb the radical with 17 points.

Monyepao, a erstwhile subordinate for South Africa’s women’s nationalist team, Banyana Banyana, asserted that SAFA’s superior absorption is connected securing maximum points successful their upcoming qualifying fixtures to mitigate immoderate imaginable consequences from the investigation.

“We are not truly disquieted astir that. Our absorption close present is ensuring that Bafana Bafana secures six points successful October. Regardless of immoderate docking of points oregon different speculation, if we execute that, thing other volition matter,” she told ESPN.

If sanctions are imposed, it would importantly interaction Group C successful the African qualifiers. Currently, Bafana Bafana apical the radical with 17 points, 3 up of Benin and six wide of Nigeria and Rwanda. A deduction of 3 points and 3 goals would permission South Africa level with Benin connected 14 points, portion Benin would determination to the apical of the radical with a superior extremity difference.

The imaginable of sanctions has lingered implicit the radical for months, with FIFA delaying action, starring to speculation successful South Africa astir the governing body’s intentions. Bafana manager Hugo Broos antecedently indicated helium felt they mightiness person avoided repercussions. “We did thing wrong, but determination was nary complaint,” Broos remarked earlier the past circular of matches.

Meanwhile, absorption teams person voiced their concerns. Benin manager Gernot Rohr, whose broadside is competing intimately with South Africa for the apical spot, expressed vexation astatine FIFA’s silence. “It is not mean that we bash not cognize the presumption of the points earlier our matches,” Rohr stated. “Normally, South Africa should suffer 3 points, which should spell to Lesotho. The deficiency of clarity from FIFA is concerning, and we impulse them to scope a determination promptly.”