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| Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. Image: @BafanaBafana/X |
Bafana Bafana were docked points for fielding an ineligible player during their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.
Teboho Mokoena of South Africa was meant to serve a one-match suspension in that match, which Bafana won 2-0; however, he featured, which then saw FIFA get involved. In their ruling, FIFA overturned Bafana’s win, and the match is now recorded as a 3-0 victory for Lesotho.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has declared the match in question to have been forfeited… SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000,” read an official FIFA statement.
HOW CAN BAFANA QUALIFY FOR NEXT YEAR’S WORLD CUP?
Bafana drops three points, losing their top spot in Group C to Benin. Both South Africa and Benin have 14 points, but the West Africans have a superior goal difference.
Bafana’s task is simple: win all matches by a big margin, and they qualify for the World Cup. Hugo Broos’ men play Zimbabwe and Rwanda at home next month, which will add more pressure on them like never before.
A 3-0 win over the Warriors and another 3-0 victory against Rwanda should be enough, given Benin’s advantage against South Africa is only a single goal.
The good news for Bafana fans is that Benin will play their final two qualifiers away from home. They face Rwanda before their anticipated encounter with Nigeria, which could decide which team finishes second in the group, assuming Bafana wins their remaining two matches convincingly.
Bafana are in a good position to still qualify for the World Cup, but anything less than a win against Zimbabwe could make things more complicated.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) have lodged an appeal over FIFA’s decision, which could add another twist should Bafana fail to qualify for the World Cup.
- Eliot Mahlase
