In a significant development that arose this week after all the airtime arising from their engagement with the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture, the South African Football Association (SAFA) is on the verge of evading sanctions for a serious oversight.
At the heart of the discussions was an incident involving Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena, whose suspension oversight could lead to severe repercussions for the association and their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying aspirations.
However, indications suggest that SAFA is likely to sidestep any penalties.
This came after the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder was fielded in the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho even though he was suspended.
He picked up two yellow cards in previous qualifiers against Benin and Zimbabwe and was not eligible to play against Lesotho.
Bafana, who defeated Lesotho 2-0 in that game, lead Group C with a five-point gap over second-placed rivals Rwanda and Benin.
The other group teams are Nigeria (seven points), Lesotho (six) and Zimbabwe (four). CAF’s secretariat plays a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of its tournaments, including the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying.
They ensure match officials are well-informed about suspended players in meetings with match and team officials before the start of matches.
This structured approach allows designated match commissioners and referees to be aware of any players who are barred from participating, thus upholding fairness in competition.
In the case of the SA versus Lesotho match, this was not done, and it was not known that Mokoena had incurred an automatic suspension.
Members of parliament deplored this disturbing display of administrative oversight and Bafana’s management was put through the wringer for failing to execute basic organisational duties.
This significant error went unnoticed by both the team and opponents, Lesotho.
Two days after this match, the Nigerian Football Federation reportedly alerted Lesotho officials to this critical oversight.
Lesotho and Nigeria have not formally announced protests to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA regarding this contentious match.
Despite the absence of an official filing, both nations are holding onto a flicker of hope that FIFA might intervene against the South Africans, sparking a potential firestorm in regional football politics.
The window for protest submission has closed, as protests filed beyond the stipulated time frame are unlikely to be upheld, however, optimism lingers in both nations.
The unresolved issues surrounding recent matches have left stakeholders in Lesotho and Nigeria questioning the integrity of competition and fairness within the African football sphere.
A Nigerian-based football website has raised the Mokoena saga with monotonous regularity in the hope that CAF and FIFA will be strung into action.
This has ignited fervent discussions in the football community across Africa. If CAF or FIFA intervened, it would affect the log positions of Nigeria, Lesotho, and South Africa.
With only four rounds left in the qualifying matches, the possibility of FIFA’s intervention has raised eyebrows as teams vie for a coveted spot in the 2026 World Cup.
Changes in Nigeria and Lesotho’s positions could emerge if SAFA is punished and this potential turn of events could drastically alter the landscape of the Group C World Cup qualifying rounds.
Historically, FIFA has not shied away from taking stringent measures against teams that breach its rules, even in cases where there has not been an official complaint or protest lodged.
