2026 World Cup: NFF Reacts to Delay in South Africa’s Points Deduction Over Ineligible Player
- The Nigeria Football Federation said teams are awaiting FIFA's official decision over player eligibility issues
- Bafana Bafana risks losing three points for fielding suspended Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win against Lesotho
- Nigeria had faced similar issues during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where the governing body slammed the country
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is growing impatient with FIFA's silence over the non-sanction of South Africa for fielding an ineligible player during their World Cup qualifiers.
Bafana Bafana player Teboho Mokoena was in the squad during their 2-0 win against Lesotho, with goals coming from Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams.
Mokoena, a Mamelodi Sundowns player, should have served a suspension having received yellow cards in their two previous matches (Zimbabwe and the Benin Republic), but was in action for 82 minutes against the Crocodiles, per TnTSports.
Source: Getty Images
We are waiting for FIFA - Sanusi
NFF Secretary General Mohammed Sanusi said Nigeria and other teams in the 2026 World Cup Qualification Group D are anxiously waiting for the decision of FIFA.
In a viral video on TikTok, Sanusi explained that the Super Eagles had a similar case where the world football governing body took a drastic decision.
He stressed that FIFA ought to decide without any team writing an official complaint. He said:
"It is a rule that once you field an ineligible player, you lose the match by three goals and three points. That took a lot of time (almost a year) before the decision was reached by FIFA.
"Now, because the competition is going on and the hype is high, we have also written to say Nigeria and the other teams are anxiously waiting for feedback. We are aware that it ought to be automatic, but we want to know the situation on the ground.
"Nigeria suffered the same fate when we fielded Shehu Abdullahi against Algeria and luckily enough for us, we had qualified before playing the match. We drew but three points and two goals were deducted against Nigeria; nobody complained."
Source: Getty Images
FIFA is fair - Sanusi
Mohammed Sanusi expressed belief that FIFA would do the right thing before the end of the qualifiers.
The Kebbi-born football administrator stated that Nigeria submitted a formal complaint about an official, which was promptly addressed without any issues. He said:
"The NFF expects that FIFA would do the needful without being asked because it happened to the Super Eagles and other countries.
"I have not seen FIFA deviating from that norm because they are a fair organisation. An example was when Libyan referees were appointed for our match in Nigeria, we wrote to FIFA and laid a complaint citing the issues, and they changed the referees."
FIFA has not responded to an official inquiry regarding the deduction of three points and three goals from Bafana Bafana, per NewsTap.
Four countries join Nigeria to demand points deduction
Legit.ng earlier reported that no fewer than four could join Nigeria in demanding that FIFA deduct three points from South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Reports suggest that Lesotho have opted not to lodge a formal protest to FIFA as the country's FA cited their failure to act within the mandatory 48-hour window.
Source: Legit.ng
