Nigeria News Today: FIFA Strips South Africa of Points, Boosts Nigeria’s World Cup Chances
By Safiyat Muhammed | The Bureau News
FIFA has stripped South Africa of three points in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign after they fielded ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a March fixture against Lesotho. The decision has dented South Africa’s hopes of qualifying while giving Nigeria a renewed lifeline.
The Sanction and Its Impact
The match, which South Africa had won 2-0, has now been overturned to a 3-0 victory in favour of Lesotho. South Africa were fined 10,000 Swiss Francs ($12,536), while Mokoena received a formal warning. FIFA’s disciplinary committee confirmed that Mokoena should have been suspended due to two prior cautions in Group C matches.
Following the ruling, Benin Republic now top Group C on goal difference, level with South Africa on 14 points. Nigeria and Rwanda are three points behind, each with 11 points, as the qualification race heats up.
Upcoming Fixtures
The penultimate round of qualifiers will be played on October 10, with Benin visiting Rwanda, Lesotho hosting Nigeria, and South Africa facing Zimbabwe. The final round on October 14 will see South Africa hosting Rwanda, while Nigeria clash with Benin in what could be the group decider.
Embarrassment for South Africa
The ruling has been described as a major embarrassment for the South African Football Association. Coach Hugo Broos admitted: “We did something bad, we did something we shouldn’t do.”
FIFA, however, has faced criticism for its slow handling of the case. It took nearly seven months to deliver a decision, with no disciplinary hearing held before the last round of matches. Benin coach Gernot Rohr expressed frustration, saying: “It is not normal that we don’t know the situation about the points on the log table before our games.”
Nigeria’s Renewed Opportunity
With South Africa’s sanction, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are now better placed to push for direct qualification. Analysts warn, however, that the team must stay focused and win their remaining fixtures to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
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