Lesotho are piling pressure on FIFA to enforce its own disciplinary rules by docking points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player during last week’s 2026 World Cup qualifier in Polokwane.
Teboho Mokoena, a key midfielder for Bafana Bafana, started and played in their 2-0 win over Lesotho despite being suspended after picking up yellow cards against Benin and Zimbabwe earlier in the qualifying campaign.
Under FIFA regulations, a player receiving two cautions in different matches must serve a one-match ban.
Late last week, the Lesotho Football Association (LEFA) submitted a formal complaint to the world governing body urging FIFA to take action that will jeopardize Bafana Bafana’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
With no word from FIFA for the past 72 hours over Lesotho’s protest, the tiny Southern African country is now pressing for what it describes as a fair and rule-based resolution.
“We are hoping for them to respect their own regulations and act appropriately,” LEFA Secretary General Mokhosi Mohapi told BBC Sport Africa.
“Even if they just caution South Africa, it will be okay. If they give us the points, so be it. [It would be] the cherry on top.”
He added: “There’s no malice but it’s just that we are looking for the regulations to be adhered to. If it were us who had defeated South Africa, wouldn’t [they] do the same?”
FIFA’s competition rules state that eligibility protests must be filed within 24 hours of a match’s conclusion. Lesotho are believed to have acted within this window.
Should FIFA rule in Lesotho’s favour and award a 3-0 technical victory, the Mountain Kingdom would leap to second place in Group C, just one point behind South Africa. Bafana Bafana would see their lead slashed from five points to just one with four matches remaining.
South Africa have declined to comment, but national team coach Hugo Broos confirmed Mokoena was dropped from the squad for Tuesday’s qualifier against Benin, which they also won 2-0.
“This is something that will be sorted over the next week,” Broos said after the match.
The potential sanction could dramatically reshape Group C’s qualification race, with Nigeria—currently six points behind South Africa—also watching developments closely.
Only group winners will automatically qualify for the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
