Lesotho confirm query sent to Fifa over Bafana suspension bungle

The Lesotho Football Association (LFA) has confirmed it has sent a query to Fifa over the yellow cards accumulated by Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Mokoena was booked in Bafana’s opening match against Benin in 2023 and the fourth qualifier against Zimbabwe last year, meaning he should have served an automatic one-match ban in SA's qualifier against Lesotho in Polokwane on Friday, according to Fifa's rule 63 governing World Cup qualifiers. Instead, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder was fielded in the 2-0 win. 

There's uncertainty over whether Mokoena's first yellow card was expunged at last year's Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), but Fifa rules state clearly bookings are accumulated “from round to round”, which excludes the Afcon.

Mokoena's participation last week, therefore, could mean SA — who crucially extended their lead in group C to five points with a 2-0 win against Benin in Ivory Coast on Tuesday — lose three points from the win against Lesotho.

A stumbling block for Lesotho's protest, and potential saving grace for Bafana, might be that their football association failed to lodge a protest within a 24-hour deadline.

However, officials from the mountain kingdom are determined to press on with the matter.

“The question is, was a rule broken? If yes, we are fully entitled to protest and get the points,” said LFA secretary-general Mokhosi Mohapi.

“We were made aware of Mokoena’s bookings and we have since sent a formal inquiry to Caf [the Confederation of African Football] and Fifa.

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

Mohapi said SA could not expect to use its status as a friendly neighbour as a basis for Lesotho not filing a protest.

“Unfortunately, the law is the law and Safa should have known about the bookings. We have no hard feelings. We want the points.”

Mokoena was booked on the stroke of halftime in Bafana’s 2-1 group C win against Benin in Durban in November 2023, and again in the 3-1 win against Zimbabwe in Bloemfontein June last year. That, according to Fifa rules, meant he should not have been eligible for last week’s match.

Bafana being deducted points remains a distinct possibility, given precedent.

In 2013, Botswana protested against Ethiopia for having used a player who had accumulated two bookings in their qualifier. Fifa stepped in and awarded a 3-0 win to Botswana.

On claims that Lesotho should have protested within the 24-hour time limit, Mohapi said: “There’s no such. If the protest is valid, Fifa will look into it. We are awaiting their response.”

While the LFA is convinced the 24-hour deadline does not apply, the Fifa disciplinary code appears to state otherwise.

Under “protests” it 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.”

A source close to Safa, who did not want to be named, blamed “administrative incompetence” for Mokoena taking to the field when he should not have.

“The team manager [Vincent Tseka] should have notified the coach [Hugo Broos] that Mokoena had two yellows. He was not supposed to play,” they said.

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