Bafana may have averted World Cup disaster over Teboho Mokoena suspension bungle

A potential major derailment of Bafana Bafana's 2026 World Cup campaign appears to have been averted because Lesotho apparently did not report Teboho Mokoena being fielded against them when he should have been suspended within the given deadline.

Such transgressions can lead to a deduction of points.

It has emerged Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Mokoena had two yellow cards from two previous 2026 World Cup qualifying matches and should have been suspended in Bafana's 2-0 victory against Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday.

However, Lesotho apparently did not pick up the administrative error by the South Africans and did not report the incident to the match commissioner, Confederation of African Football (Caf) or Fifa within a two-hour deadline immediately after the game, or further 24-hour limit.

TimesLIVE is informed the South African Football Association (Safa) was in a panic when it discovered the error. However, after further inquiries Safa apparently has come to the conclusion Lesotho's failure to report the mistake means Bafana will not be sanctioned.

Bafana (10 points) are involved a tight race in African World Cup qualifying group C, where they lead with a two-point gap over Benin, who they meet in a crucial clash in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Tuesday (6pm SA time).

Coach Hugo Broos' South Africa will also be wary of dangerous Nigeria lurking in fourth place on six points.

The Super Eagles, the group favourites before the campaign, had a nightmare start, drawing their first three matches — including their opener at home against Lesotho — then losing their fourth. But the upshot of a 2-0 win away against Rwanda on Thursday is that if Bafana lose against Benin, ceding the lead to their opponents, then the Super Eagles would also only be a point behind South Africa with four matches remaining.

Given that tight situation, any sanction of points against the South Africans would be disastrous to their effort to reach the first 48-team World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the US next year. The top teams in nine African groups qualify while the four best runners-up go into an intercontinental playoff.

The Fifa disciplinary code, under “offences”, states: “Associations and their clubs are entitled to lodge protests. Protests must reach the disciplinary committee in writing via the Fifa legal portal, indicating the relevant grounds, within 24 hours of the end of the match in question. The 24-hour time limit cannot be extended.”

The Fifa rules for 2026 World Cup preliminary stage state: “If players or team officials receive two cautions in one match ... or in two different matches of the competition, they will be automatically suspended from their team’s subsequent match.”

While Safa believes it is in the clear, and the rules appear to back that view up, there might be a campaign by Lesotho and Nigeria to have Bafana sanctioned.

Mokoena was booked in Bafana's 2-1 win against Benin in their group C opener in Durban on November 18 2023, then again in the 3-1 win against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein on June 11 last year.

The Sundowns player will not be fielded when Bafana meet Benin at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Tuesday night.

Attempts to reach Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao and Lesotho FA media officer Mikia Kalati for comment were unsuccessful.