FIFA's Potential Points Deduction Threatens South Africa's World Cup Dreams
CAF World Cup Qualifiers: South Africa's fate hangs in balance as FIFA considers points deduction due to fielding an ineligible player.
Teboho Mokoena shouldn't have played in South Africa's World Cup qualifier against Lesotho because he had accumulated two yellow cards...
South Africa's chances of advancing to the 2026 FIFA World Cup are under threat due to disciplinary proceedings initiated by FIFA. The country's football association has been informed that it will face punishment for fielding suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho in March, resulting in a 2-0 win.
If found guilty, South Africa is likely to be docked three points and awarded a 3-0 loss, despite their 2-0 win over Lesotho. This deduction would see South Africa drop from 17 points to 14 points, level with Benin, but still ahead on goal difference. Nigeria, currently on seven points, would be just three points off the top, with key fixtures still to come.
The potential deduction would significantly alter the dynamics of Group C, where only the group winners automatically qualify for the World Cup. With two qualifiers left, South Africa faces intense pressure to beat Zimbabwe and Rwanda in October, while relying on rivals to drop points. Other contenders, including Benin, Rwanda, and Nigeria, remain in the mix, making the final matches crucial.
This isn't the first time a country has faced points deduction for fielding an ineligible player. In 2018, Nigeria fielded Shehu Abdullahi despite his suspension, resulting in a 3-0 win for Algeria. Although Nigeria still qualified for the World Cup, finishing top of their group, the precedent highlights FIFA's zero-tolerance stance on eligibility breaches.
Teboho Mokoena shouldn't have played in South Africa's World Cup qualifier against Lesotho because he had accumulated two yellow cards earlier in the qualifiers, against Benin Republic in November 2023 and Zimbabwe in June 2024. This triggered an automatic one-match suspension, which would have ruled him out of the March 21, 2025, match. However, the South African Football Association (SAFA) listed him in the squad, prompting complaints from rival teams.
FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against SAFA and Mokoena for breaching disciplinary regulations. Both parties face charges, including fielding an ineligible player. The case has been referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, with SAFA and Mokoena given six days to submit their responses. If found guilty, South Africa risks forfeiting the match, which would award Lesotho a 3-0 victory.
A potential points deduction would significantly impact South Africa's World Cup qualification chances. Currently topping Group C with 17 points, a deduction would bring them level with Benin Republic on 14 points and narrow the gap to Nigeria to just three points, keeping the qualification race intense with two matches remaining.
Other countries competing in South Africa's group have criticized FIFA for its slow resolution of the issue. South Africa faces disciplinary proceedings for fielding suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, which could impact their chances of advancing to the tournament.
According to FIFA's disciplinary code, “If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited. The default result is a 3-0 loss, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team.” This means that if found guilty, South Africa's 2-0 win over Lesotho could be overturned, and they might face a points deduction.
The potential points deduction would significantly affect the group standings. South Africa would drop from 17 points to 14 points, level with Benin, but still ahead on goal difference. Nigeria, currently on seven points, would be just three points off the top, with key fixtures still to come.
A three-point deduction would significantly alter the standings in Group C, leaving South Africa tied with Benin at 14 points. With two matches remaining, the competition is heating up, and Nigeria and Rwanda are just three points behind, setting the stage for an intense finale.
Only the group winners will automatically advance to the finals, which commence in June 2026. Given the current standings and upcoming fixtures, the teams in Group C will need to strategize carefully to maximize their chances of qualification. The matches promise to be thrilling, with several teams still in contention.
In the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria faced penalties for fielding an ineligible player, Shehu Abdullahi, in their match against Algeria. Abdullahi had accumulated two yellow cards in previous matches, against Swaziland in November 2015 and Zambia in November 2017, which triggered an automatic one-match suspension. Despite this, he played the entire game against Algeria, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
FIFA awarded Algeria a 3-0 win, deducting three points from Nigeria's tally. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) was also fined CHF 6,000. Although Nigeria's points haul was reduced from 14 to 13, their qualification status remained unaffected, as they had already secured a spot in the World Cup finals in Russia.
NFF President Amaju Pinnick apologized to Nigerians and initiated an internal investigation. He assured that those responsible for the error would face consequences, promising a reorganization of the Technical Department to prevent similar incidents in the future.
A similar situation occurred ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, involving Cape Verde Islands. They lost out on a playoff spot after fielding suspended player Fernando Varela in a group win against Tunisia. As a result, Tunisia advanced to the playoffs instead of Cape Verde, highlighting the potential consequences of eligibility breaches in FIFA competitions.
Upcoming Fixtures
The final two rounds of matches are scheduled for next month, with South Africa facing tough tests against Zimbabwe away and Rwanda at home. Meanwhile, Benin will conclude their campaign with an away match against Rwanda and Nigeria. The outcome of these fixtures will determine which team emerges as the group winner and secures automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
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