The highway to the 2026 FIFA World Cup took one other twist this week as world soccer’s governing physique launched its newest record of disciplinary sanctions, and conspicuously absent was any point out of South Africa, regardless of ongoing controversy over the eligibility of midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
The four-page doc, revealed, detailed a variety of punishments meted out to nationwide associations through the qualifiers. Whereas international locations like Qatar, Indonesia, and Argentina appeared on the record, the South African Soccer Affiliation (SAFA) remained untouched, elevating recent questions in regards to the Mokoena saga and its potential influence on Group C.
The case towards South Africa
Nigeria and Benin have each lodged formal protests after South Africa’s 2–0 win over Lesotho in March, arguing that Mokoena ought to have been suspended for collected yellow playing cards.
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder was first cautioned within the 54th minute of South Africa’s 2–1 victory over Benin in November 2023, then once more within the 52nd minute throughout their 3–1 win over Zimbabwe in June 2024.
By FIFA’s personal rulebook, that sequence ought to have dominated him out of the Lesotho conflict.
“If gamers or staff officers obtain two cautions in a single match (in matches determined by penalties) or in two completely different matches of the competitors, they are going to be routinely suspended from their staff’s subsequent match,” the laws state.
As a substitute, Mokoena began towards Lesotho, taking part in 82 minutes earlier than being changed by Thalente Mbatha. His inclusion has fueled requires South Africa to forfeit the three factors and undergo a 3–0 technical defeat.
What’s at Stake
If such a sanction have been enforced, Bafana Bafana would drop from 17 factors to 14, degree with Benin, and inside hanging distance of Nigeria, who presently sit third with 11 factors.
With simply two video games remaining within the qualifiers, the implications may very well be seismic. Africa’s 9 computerized World Cup tickets might be determined by the group winners, with 4 finest runners-up advancing to inter-confederation play-offs. Any factors deduction for South Africa might reopen Group C and breathe life into Nigeria’s faltering marketing campaign.
Distinction: Equatorial Guinea’s fall
The silence round South Africa contrasts sharply with the destiny of Equatorial Guinea, whose marketing campaign was derailed after FIFA and the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dominated that they had fielded an ineligible participant.
Regardless of turning out for Equatorial Guinea for over a decade, striker Emilio Nsue was discovered by no means to have secured correct clearance to change allegiance from Spain, the place he had represented youth sides. The outcome: FIFA docked six factors, overturning 1–0 wins over Namibia and Liberia into 3–0 technical losses.
That punishment dropped Equatorial Guinea from second place in Group H with 16 factors to fifth with 10, dramatically reshaping the standings and boosting Namibia’s qualification hopes. CAS upheld the ruling in Might, reinforcing FIFA’s stance on eligibility breaches.
Sanctions elsewhere
The newly launched record confirmed a variety of different disciplinary measures:
Qatar; obtained a proper warning on June 4, 2025, for misconduct by gamers and officers, with no monetary penalty hooked up.
Indonesia; have been warned for lapses so as and safety at a World Cup qualifier.
In January, Argentina have been fined $20,000 and hit with a two-match suspension for a participant discovered responsible of disciplinary breaches, one of the crucial extreme sanctions within the up to date report.
None of those instances, nevertheless, instantly affect Group C; making the omission of South Africa all of the extra hanging.
Nigeria’s watching temporary
For Nigeria, the problem may very well be decisive. The Tremendous Eagles, sitting on 11 factors, nonetheless should play each Lesotho and Benin of their ultimate fixtures. Victories there, mixed with a possible factors deduction for South Africa, might catapult them again into competition, both as group winners or as one in all Africa’s finest runners-up.
The present runners-up standings are tight: Gabon lead with 19 factors, adopted by Madagascar and DR Congo (16), and a cluster together with Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Namibia and Uganda (15 every). Benin sit on 14, whereas Nigeria lurk simply behind.
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For now, silence
Regardless of the mounting protests, FIFA’s up to date sanctions record makes no reference to South Africa. Bafana Bafana stay prime of Group C on 17 factors, their path to a primary World Cup since 2010 nonetheless firmly in their very own palms.
However with two matchdays to go, and precedent from Equatorial Guinea’s punishment nonetheless recent, the Mokoena affair lingers as a possible thunderclap in Africa’s qualification race.
For Nigeria and Benin, the wait continues. For South Africa, the silence; for now, is golden.
