Nigeria’s push for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been revived after FIFA deducted three points from South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in a qualifier.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena was not eligible to play in their March 21, 2025, preliminary clash with Lesotho. FIFA said the South African Football Association (SAFA) breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.
The ruling awarded Lesotho a 3-0 victory, overturned the original result, and fined SAFA CHF 10,000, while Mokoena was handed a formal warning.
The sanction significantly alters the Group C table, stripping South Africa of its lead on 17 points and allowing Benin to move top. Nigeria, sitting third on 11 points, now faces a much more open qualification battle for one of Africa’s coveted World Cup slots.
FIFA noted the decision is subject to appeal, with SAFA granted 10 days to request a detailed judgment before escalation to the Appeal Committee.
