By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have received an unexpected boost following FIFA’s decision to sanction South Africa for fielding an ineligible player during their qualifier against Lesotho.
In a statement issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, the world football body revealed that South Africa breached competition regulations by fielding Teboho Mokoena during the March 21, 2025 World Cup qualifier, a match originally played against Lesotho.
As a consequence, FIFA has awarded a 3-0 victory to Lesotho, overturning whatever result was recorded on the pitch.
Additionally, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has been fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received an official warning.
This development reshapes the group standings and could prove pivotal for Nigeria, who are in the same qualification group.
With South Africa’s woes, Nigeria’s lost hope of qualification might have not been renewed. With 11 points, Nigeria needs to win Lesotho on October 10 which will draw them against Benin whom already had 14 points as South Africa in October qualifiers.
Fans and analysts alike view the sanction as a wake-up call to all federations on the importance of due diligence and a welcome advantage for Nigeria’s journey to the world stage.
