Lesotho confirm query sent to Fifa over Mokoena's yellow cards

'Administrative bungle' could see Bafana lose three points

The Lesotho Football Association (LFA) has confirmed it has sent a query to Fifa over the yellow cards accumulated by Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Mokoena was booked in Bafana’s opening match against Benin in 2023, and the fourth qualifier against Zimbabwe last year, meaning he should have served an automatic one-match ban, according to Fifa's rule 63 governing World Cup qualifiers. Instead, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder played in last Friday’s 2-0 win over Likuena in Polokwane. 

There's uncertainty over whether Mokoena's first yellow card was expunged at last year's Africa Cup of Nations, but Fifa rules state clearly that bookings are accumulated "from round to round" - which would exclude the Afcon.

Mokoena participation last week, therefore, could mean SA –  who were on 10 points before facing Benin on Tuesday evening –  lose three points from that fixture, and those points would be awarded to Lesotho, which is exactly what the officials from the mountain kingdom want.

“The question is, was a rule broken? If yes, we are fully entitled to protest and get the points. We were made aware of Mokoena’s bookings and we have since sent a formal inquiry to CAF and Fifa,” said LFA secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi.

“We have heard that Nigeria also want to protest and they too are entitled to that because the result (last Friday) prejudices everyone. Suppose it was us who fielded a defaulter and got the points, Bafana would have done the same.”

We have heard that Nigeria also want to protest and they too are entitled to that because the result (last Friday) prejudices everyone.Mokhosi Mohapi

Mohapi said SA could not expect to use proximity to Lesotho as a basis not to file a protest. “Unfortunately, the law is the law and Safa should have known about the bookings. We have no hard feelings. We want those points.”

Mokoena - who was curiously missing from the lineup which faced Benin on Tuesday - was booked on the stroke of halftime in Bafana’s Group C against Benin in November 2023, which ended 2-1 in SA’s favour, and again in November 2024 against Zimbabwe, when SA won 3-1. That, according to Fifa rules, meant he should not  have been eligible for last week’s match.

The likelihood of Bafana losing the points from last week is high, given previous cases.

In 2013, Botswana protested against Ethiopia for having used a player who had accumulated two bookings in their qualifier. Fifa stepped in and awarded a 3-0 win to Botswana.

On claims that Lesotho should have protested 24 hours after the match, Mohapi stated: “There’s no such. If the protest is valid, Fifa will look into it. We are awaiting their response.”

A source close to Safa blamed "administrative incompetence" for Mokoena taking to the field when he should not have. “The team manager should have notified the coach (Hugo Broos) that Mokoena has two yellows. He was not supposed to play.”

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