CAS ruling on Equatorial Guinea sparks fear as South Africa awaits FIFA verdict on Mokoena

By Dayo Awoniyi

South African football fans are on edge after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld FIFA’s decision to sanction Equatorial Guinea for fielding an ineligible player during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Equatorial Guinea were docked six points — three each from wins over Namibia and Liberia — after it was discovered that striker Emilio Nsue was ineligible to represent the country. Nsue scored decisive goals in both 1-0 victories last November.

In May, FIFA nullified those results, awarding 3-0 technical wins to the opponents. CAS has now confirmed the ruling, ending Equatorial Guinea’s appeal.

The controversy stemmed from the fact that Nsue never received the necessary clearance to switch allegiance from Spain, where he featured at youth level. Despite playing for Equatorial Guinea for over a decade, FIFA ruled his participation invalid — a decision with far-reaching consequences.

While Namibia benefited from the ruling, the development has heightened concerns in South Africa, where a similar case is under FIFA investigation.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) could face sanctions for fielding Teboho Mokoena in a Group C clash against Lesotho in March. Mokoena had accumulated two yellow cards in earlier matches and should have served a one-game suspension.

If FIFA rules against South Africa, the three points from their win over Lesotho may be overturned. Such a decision would leave Bafana Bafana on 14 points, level with Benin, instead of their current 17.

That scenario could dramatically shift the qualification landscape. Nigeria, sitting third with 11 points, would be given a clearer path as they still face both Lesotho (away) and Benin (home in Uyo) in the decisive final rounds.

For Namibia, the CAS ruling keeps their qualification hopes alive as they retain second spot in their group. For South Africa, however, the uncertainty remains — with FIFA’s verdict on Mokoena set to play a pivotal role in their World Cup qualifying journey.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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