Lesotho Petitions FIFA, Challenges South Africa’s Player Eligibility

The Lesotho Football Association (LFA), has sent a query to FIFA over the yellow cards accumulated by South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Mokoena has been booked twice in the qualifiers, and was fielded by South Africa in last Friday’s 2-0 win over Lesotho.

The Mamelodi Sundowns star should have served an automatic one-match ban, according to FIFA’s rule 63 governing World Cup qualifiers.

There’s uncertainty over whether Mokoena’s first yellow card was expunged at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, but FIFA rules state clearly that bookings are accumulated “from round to round” – which would exclude the AFCON.

Bafana Bafana could now lose three points and three goals to Lesotho.

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“The question is, was a rule broken? If yes, we are fully entitled to protest and get the points. We were made aware of Mokoena’s bookings and we have since sent a formal inquiry to CAF and FIFA,” LFA secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi was quoted by Sowetan Live.

“We have heard that Nigeria also want to protest and they too are entitled to that because the result (last Friday) prejudices everyone. Suppose it was us who fielded a defaulter and got the points, Bafana would have done the same.”

Mohapi said South Africa could not expect to use proximity to Lesotho as a basis not to file a protest. “Unfortunately, the law is the law and SAFA should have known about the bookings. We have no hard feelings. We want those points.”