Fifa opens investigation into Bafana over Teboho Mokoena matter

Fifa has sent a letter to the South African Football Association (Safa) informing it of an investigation being opened into the fielding of ineligible Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.

TimesLIVE has verified the letter's arrival at Safa.

This makes it almost a certainty the 2-0 win against Lesotho in Polokwane in March will be overturned.

Safa had hoped Lesotho's failure to protest the erroneous fielding of Mokoena despite the midfielder having picked up two yellow cards in Group C matches would result in Bafana being let off the hook.

Fifa rules state protests regarding ineligible players have to be made in writing “within 24 hours of the end of the match and shall be dealt with by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee, otherwise they will be disregarded”.

However, there is much precedent for Fifa stepping in to sanction teams for such offences when the evidence is so clear without any protest having been lodged.

If Bafana are found guilty, the Fifa rules for the 2026 World Cup state: “If a player fielded in a match is declared ineligible after a protest, the team to which the player belongs will be sanctioned by forfeiting the match and paying a minimum fine of CHF 6,000 [R132,000]. The player may also be sanctioned.”

The Fifa Disciplinary Code states: “A team sanctioned with a forfeit is considered to have lost the match 3-0.”

A 3-0 win awarded to Lesotho, and loss of their two-goal March victory in Polokwane for Bafana, would take the lead of Group C from South Africa and leave them likely to need wins from both their remaining matches against Zimbabwe away and Rwanda at home next month.

Zimbabwe have been playing home games in South Africa due to the lack of a Confederation of Africa-approved stadium there, but may seek a different venue — with Botswana apparently mooted — for the game against their neighbours.

Bafana, now on 17 points from eight matches, would drop to 14. Their goal difference would also drop from +8 to +3.

That is because Bafana would lose the two goals they scored against Lesotho in March and their 'goals for' would drop from 14 to 12, and would have a 3-0 defeat instated against them so their 'goals against' would change from six to nine. The difference between 12 and nine is three.

Second-placed Benin (14 points and a +4 goal difference) would then take the lead in the group on goal difference. Fifa uses goal difference in its competitions as its first method of separating teams level on points, while Caf uses head-to-head in games played between those sides.

Bafana would then hope Benin — who have tougher games left against Rwanda and Nigeria, both away — drop points or win by small margins, and South Africa win both last games, preferably by larger margins. 

South Africa, given their form, would still be in a strong position to qualify minus three points and with a lesser goal difference, but far less certain than the one they are in now.