Bafana Bafana Face World Cup Setback After Teboho Mokoena Eligibility Blunder

South Africa’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has hit a potential stumbling block following reports of an administrative oversight involving star midfielder Teboho Mokoena. According to reliable sources, Bafana Bafana could be stripped of three crucial points earned in their recent qualifier against Lesotho due to fielding an ineligible player.

The controversy centres on Mokoena, who featured in the starting lineup during South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho on Matchday 5. However, he had received two yellow cards earlier in the qualification campaign — the first in the opening game against Benin and the second in Matchday 4 against Zimbabwe — a combination that, under FIFA regulations, warrants a one-match suspension.

Despite this, Mokoena was fielded in the following fixture, potentially breaching FIFA’s disciplinary rules. Now, sources close to the matter indicate that the South African Football Association (SAFA) may have already been informed by FIFA or CAF of the impending sanctions, which could include forfeiting the victory and awarding three points to Lesotho.

The consequences of this possible points deduction are significant. South Africa currently lead Group C with 13 points, five clear of Rwanda and Benin, and six ahead of Nigeria. Should the Lesotho win be overturned, Bafana would drop to 10 points, tightening the race for the group’s top spot — the only position that guarantees automatic qualification for the World Cup.

A source familiar with the situation has stressed that while the error is regrettable, the focus must now shift to winning the remaining matches in the qualification campaign. “An error was made, and we can’t be pointing fingers at individuals right now – what happened has happened, and we can’t go back. Those points are gone, as tough as that is to accept, but there are more to play for to ensure qualification,” the source said.

Beyond the pitch, this incident could spark deeper scrutiny into SAFA’s internal operations. Questions are already being raised about how such a critical administrative mistake could have occurred, especially in a campaign of this magnitude.

Supporters and football analysts are anxiously awaiting an official statement from the governing body. While no public confirmation has been made yet, an announcement is expected soon.

With the pressure mounting, Bafana Bafana must now regroup quickly. Their remaining fixtures will carry even more weight, as any slip-ups could prove costly in their quest to return to the global stage for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010.