South Africa Head Coach Reacts As Bafana Bafana Forfeit 3 Points in World Cup Qualifiers
- FIFA has sanctioned South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho
- SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao, on September 19, 2025, confirmed that the world's football governing body had commenced an investigation
- Head coach Hugo Broos had anticipated the possibility of sanctions, but maintained that his side must win their final two matches
The world's football governing body, FIFA, has sanctioned South Africa in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, as head coach Hugo Broos had predicted.
Bafana Bafana have forfeited three points and three goals as Benin Republic top the CAF qualification Group C ahead of the final phase of the qualifiers.
Fans in South Africa had argued that since the Lesotho FA failed to lodge a complaint at the stipulated time, there would be no FIFA involvement.
Source: Getty Images
However, on September 19, 2025, SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao confirmed that FIFA has launched an investigation into the Teboho Mokoena saga, per Far Post.
The Mamelodi Sundowns star had featured in their 2-0 victory over Lesotho despite being ineligible, having bagged yellow cards in two previous matches.
Mokoena was in action against the Crocodiles at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on March 21, even though he should have been suspended for that game.
On Monday, September 29, FIFA found SAFA guilty of breaching the disciplinary codes, and they have forfeited the game by three goals.
In the previous international break, Hugo Broos maintained that even if Bafana Bafana are docked three points, what matters is for his team to win the last two matches.
Broos said via iDiski Times:
"If we see what we did till now, why should we start doubting and be worried and be afraid? We won all the games you had to win, we did very good results in Nigeria. We won in Benin,” he said on SABC in August.
"So by being worried now and say, ‘Yeah, but yeah, it’s come back to three points…’ And if it’s like that, it’s like that, and then we have to fight for the qualifiers. Finished.
"This could be a normal ranking, we first, Nigeria three points behind, Benin maybe three points behind. Or we maybe three points behind Nigeria [or Benin], it could be normal in this group. What should we say then?
"We don’t think about it, they’re just adjust the ranking. If there will be a moment where we lose the three points, ok, then we lose the three points – we can’t do anything about that decision."
Source: Getty Images
Sports analyst hopeful South Africa may still slip
Habeeb Kuranga, a sports analyst, has reacted to South Africa’s forfeiture of three points in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho.
Kuranga told Legit.ng that while Bafana Bafana still have the advantage of playing their last two games at home, the situation leaves room for hope for Nigeria:
“South Africa, on the other hand, will be playing their final two games - Zimbabwe and Rwanda - at home. And considering how they have fared on home soil in the qualifying campaign, winning all but one, which was the 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles, last time out, we just have to only hope they drop points in the two matches, while expecting the Eagles to do their part by winning the two matches remaining.”
The analyst drew on football history to argue that South Africa could still stumble in their run-in:
“Well, all hope is not lost, because if we are to go by precedence, there is a chance the Bafana Bafana may fail to win any of the aforementioned games.”
“The 1994 World Cup qualifiers saw France dramatically failing to make it to the tournament in USA despite needing just a point in their final two matches, which were at home to cement their place. The two matches in question were against Israel and Bulgaria, which were no doubt too easy on paper for the star-studded French team, but they ultimately lost both games as they conceded late goals in each of the encounters.”
South Africa to appeal sanctions
Legit.ng earlier reported that the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has concluded plans to appeal FIFA's decision to sanction the country over fielding an ineligible player during a 2026 World Cup qualifier.
The country's football authorities have disagreed with the world football governing body over the decision of the disciplinary committee on the matter.
The association pointed out that the decision was taken by only one member panel.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a sports analyst for this report.
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Source: Legit.ng
