Hugo Broos Slams Nigeria’s Attempt to Have FIFA Punish Bafana Bafana

• Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena finds himself at the centre of a World Cup qualifier controversy
• Nigeria’s involvement in the saga has sparked a strong reaction from coach Hugo Broos
• A respected Court of Arbitration for Sport attorney has weighed in with a hard-hitting view

Bafana Bafana are still waiting to hear from FIFA regarding the eligibility issue surrounding Teboho Mokoena, who featured against Lesotho in a World Cup qualifier despite having accumulated two yellow cards, which should have triggered an automatic suspension.

Lesotho, the affected opposition, did not report the matter to the match commissioner or the Confederation of African Football (CAF) within the required 24-hour window.

CAF’s pre-match protocol usually involves briefing referees and team officials about suspensions, but in this case, Mokoena’s ban appears to have been overlooked.

Two days after the match, Nigerian officials reportedly alerted Lesotho to the situation. Although neither nation has submitted a formal complaint, there have been growing calls in both countries for FIFA or CAF to intervene.

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While the deadline for lodging protests has already passed, Nigeria and Lesotho are said to be clinging to a slim hope that football’s governing bodies may still act, given the seriousness of the breach.

What did the Bafana Bafana coach say on the issue?

Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos told SABC Sport he hopes FIFA will stand firm against external pressure:

"I hope FIFA follow the rules. I hope they can resist the pressure."

Any disciplinary ruling against South Africa could drastically alter Group C standings. Bafana currently lead the table, five points clear of Rwanda and Benin, with Nigeria, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe close behind.

With four fixtures remaining in the campaign, a points deduction would shake up Africa’s race to the 2026 FIFA World

Court of Arbitration for Sports attorney outspoken on the matter

Raymond Hack, former SAFA chief executive and current attorney at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, was also outspoken on the matter:

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"The rules are very clear: a player cannot take part if suspended. The responsibility lies with both the team and the player. Somebody dropped the ball. But it’s not just the officials; the player also has a duty. He is a professional, playing for his country bringing the team into disrepute is unacceptable."

If FIFA rules against South Africa, Bafana could forfeit the Lesotho match with a 3-0 scoreline, wiping out their 2-0 win on the day.

FIFA has punished African teams

FIFA has a history of penalising African nations for fielding ineligible players during official fixtures. Ethiopia and Nigeria are among the countries that faced point deductions and disciplinary action after breaching player eligibility rules in previous World Cup qualifying campaigns.

FIFA makes key decision on Congo-Brazzaville

Briefly News previously reported that FIFA suspended Congo-Brazzaville from international football in February 2025 due to third-party interference in the country's football federation, FECOFOOT.

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The suspension has now been lifted after the Congolese authorities restored full control of football operations to the FECOFOOT Executive Committee, led by Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas.

Source: Briefly News