Teboho Mokoena of Bafana Bafana during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier match between South Africa and Lesotho on 5 September 2025 in Bloemfontein. (Photo: Charlé Lombard / Gallo Images) 
It took longer than anticipated, six months to be exact. But global soccer’s governing body Fifa has finally launched an investigation into Mokoena-gate. This has been confirmed by South African Football Association (Safa) chief executive Lydia Monyepao.
The matter revolves around Bafana Bafana illegally fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena during a Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, back in March 2025.
SA’s senior men’s soccer side erred and played Mokoena in their match against their neighbours, which they won 2-0 as Mokoena pulled the strings in midfield.
The Mamelodi Sundowns star was supposed to be serving an automatic one-match suspension after accumulating two yellow cards in previous qualifiers, against Benin in 2023, and Zimbabwe in mid-2024. But Safa missed this in a “schoolboy” administrative blunder.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TL_2245195.jpg "Safa chief executive Lydia Monyepao. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)")
Not worried, says Safa
“We have received communication from Fifa about an investigation that they have launched in terms of the Lesotho match where Teboho Mokoena was fielded,” Monyepao said.
The chief executive of the cash-strapped association was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a much-welcome Unilever sponsorship, announced on Thursday, 18 September.
“We are not really worried [about potentially being docked points]. Our focus right now is to ensure that Bafana Bafana gets maximum points, come October. Because whatever happens, be it docking of points or whatever, if we get six points come October nothing else will matter,” the CEO stated.
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Although expected, the development is a major blow for the Hugo Broos-coached team. The side is bidding to participate in its first World Cup since playing in 2010, when SA hosted the soccer spectacle.
The Fifa disciplinary code reads: “If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited. The default result is a 3-0 loss, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team.”
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TL_2452781.jpg "Hugo Broos, head coach of South Africa, and Nigeria players during the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier match between South Africa and Nigeria on 9 September 2025 in Bloemfontein. (Photo: Daniel Hlongwane / Gallo Images)")
Pole position
Nevertheless, the South Africans’ destiny remains firmly in their own hands. As things stand, they occupy first spot in Group C. Only the top team qualifies directly for the World Cup.
From eight qualifying matches, Bafana Bafana have collected 17 points. In second place sits Benin, with 14 points.
Third-placed Nigeria will also be salivating at the high probability of SA being docked three points, and retrospectively forfeiting the March match against Lesotho. Especially as the Nigerians will face Benin in the final round of qualifying.
The Super Eagles are currently six points behind Bafana Bafana, but would only be three points behind if SA is sanctioned. They trail Benin by just three points.
As Monyepao rightfully points out, all Bafana Bafana needs to do is keep winning. Then they will secure their tickets to next year’s World Cup – to be hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
Even if they are punished for this amateurish error, they will remain atop Group C. This is because their goal difference is marginally better than Benin’s.
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Sucker punch
Bafana Bafana face Zimbabwe in early October. They wrap up their qualifiers with a home tussle against Rwanda a few days after that Zimbabwe tussle. It will be a nerve-wrecking final round of qualification for SA, with zero room for further missteps.
It should not be like this. For the majority of this qualification campaign, the players have stepped up and performed on the field. In fact, since Broos took over the coaching reins in May 2021, the team has grown immensely.
Their first reward for this progression was a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) bronze medal, the team’s first major tournament podium placing since the 2000 Afcon.
Bafana Bafana has since qualified for this year’s continental showpiece in Morocco. They are backed by some to upset the hosts and tournament favourites by claiming their second African title.
Ending the country’s World Cup drought would be another major milestone under Broos. But that now hangs in the balance. DM