By The Lesotho Football Association (LFA) has lodged an inquiry with FIFA regarding South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena’s eligibility in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Mokoena, who had accumulated two yellow cards, featured in South Africa’s 2-0 win over Lesotho last Friday, despite FIFA’s rule 63 mandating an automatic one-match suspension for such cases.
There is uncertainty over whether his first booking was nullified at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but FIFA regulations state that yellow cards carry over “from round to round,” excluding AFCON.
If found guilty of breaching the rules, South Africa could forfeit the match, handing Lesotho three points and three goals.
“The question is, was a rule broken? If yes, we are fully entitled to protest and get the points,” said LFA secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi, as quoted by Sowetan Live.
Mohapi also noted that Nigeria might join the protest, as the ruling affects all teams in the group. “If it was us who fielded an ineligible player, Bafana would have done the same,” he added.
The LFA insists their action is purely based on FIFA regulations, stating, “The law is the law, and SAFA should have known about the bookings. We have no hard feelings; we just want those points.”
