National Teams
FIFA sanctions South Africa, boosts Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification hopes
By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been handed a major boost following disciplinary action taken by FIFA against the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player during a recent qualifier.
In a ruling announced by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, South Africa was found to have violated Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition Regulations by including Teboho Mokoena in their squad against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.
Mokoena, who was ineligible to play, featured in the match, which originally ended in a draw.
As a result, FIFA has overturned the match result, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho. Additionally, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, and Mokoena has received a formal warning.
The decision has significantly altered the dynamics of Group C in the African qualifiers, where Nigeria had been struggling following an unconvincing start.
The deduction of points from South Africa, one of Nigeria’s main rivals in the group, effectively improves the Super Eagles’ position and rekindles hopes of securing a place at the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
While SAFA retains the right to appeal the decision before the FIFA Appeal Committee, the development has already been welcomed by Nigerian football stakeholders and fans, who now see a renewed path toward World Cup qualification.
Nigeria last featured at the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and is seeking a return to the global stage after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar.
