Former FIFA Council Member Insists South Africa Will Be Docked 3 Points in World Cup Race
- Former FIFA official Raymond Hack is confident South Africa could face sanctions for using an ineligible player
- A three-point deduction for top-placed Bafana Bafana could transform Africa’s 2026 World Cup qualifying race entirely
- Nigeria’s football federation has officially written to FIFA, awaiting a decision that could shift the standings in Group C
Former FIFA Disciplinary Council member Raymond Hack believes South Africa could be sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player during their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.
His comments have sparked new hope for Nigeria, who are locked in a tight Group C battle with Bafana Bafana, Rwanda, and Lesotho for the top spot.
Source: Getty Images
Hack, a veteran sports lawyer and respected football arbitrator, stated that FIFA typically enforces the rules whether or not an official protest is lodged.
According to him, player eligibility is a clear-cut matter, and failure to act would set a dangerous precedent, according to Sports247.
'FIFA will follow rules for Bafana Bafana'
Hack was stern in his assessment of the situation as he stressed that FIFA’s disciplinary body does not rely solely on protests from aggrieved teams before taking action.
Source: Getty Images
“Even if Lesotho didn’t protest, South Africa still fielded a player who was not eligible. FIFA can review that and impose the correct punishment," he remarked.
According to PM News, Hack warned that if FIFA ignores the violation, it could encourage chaos in future competitions, as teams might feel free to break the rules if their opponents do not file complaints.
Nigeria awaits FIFA’s decision on RSA points
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has already submitted an official letter to FIFA, seeking clarity and a resolution on the issue.
NFF Secretary-General Dr Mohammed Sanusi confirmed that the federation is expecting a response and remains optimistic about a favourable verdict.
A potential three-point deduction for South Africa could drastically reshape Group C, where every point counts in the race to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Similar cases in the past, such as FIFA’s sanction of Equatorial Guinea, have ended with points being deducted and previous results being overturned.
With FIFA yet to release an official verdict, anxiety continues to build among Bafana Bafana fans.
However, Hack believes that enforcing the rules is crucial to maintaining fairness and credibility in global football.
“The people who fielded the player should have known he wasn’t eligible. Whether Lesotho protests or not, that’s a different story,” he said.
Should FIFA follow its usual disciplinary procedure, the Group C table could be shaken up, handing Nigeria, who are six points behind South Africa, a major boost in their push for World Cup qualification.
Nigeria warned against relying on FIFA
Meanwhile, UK-based Nigerian journalist Samuel Omaenikun, in a chat with Legit.ng, warned Nigerians not to be too hopeful waiting for a verdict from FIFA.
"Nigeria's quest to reach the World Cup is certainly out of their hands, and not even a FIFA sanction on South Africa can salvage it.
"Even if FIFA decides to punish Bafana Bafana, it doesn't automatically mean the Super Eagles will qualify for the World Cup."
South Africans panic over incoming FIFA hammer
Legit.ng also previously reported that FIFA’s ruling on Equatorial Guinea has sent shockwaves through African football after bringing down the hammer for breaking its rules.
The world football governing body docked three points and awarded technical 3-0 wins to Namibia and Liberia after Equatorial Guinea fielded an ineligible striker in the qualifiers.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
