South Africa’s possibilities of reaching the 2026 World Cup have taken a giant hit after FIFA stripped them of three factors for utilizing an ineligible participant.
FIFA has dominated that South Africa should forfeit their 2-0 win over Lesotho from 21 March. The consequence has now been modified to a 3-0 win in favour of Lesotho. This choice drops South Africa’s factors complete in Group C from 17 to 14.
The deduction places Bafana Bafana stage on factors with Benin, whereas Nigeria and Rwanda at the moment are simply three factors behind. With two matches left, the group is large open, and South Africa’s highway to qualification has change into way more tough.
The punishment comes after midfielder Teboho Mokoena performed within the match when he ought to have been suspended resulting from earlier yellow playing cards. This broke FIFA’s disciplinary and competitors guidelines.
In addition to the factors loss, the South African Soccer Affiliation (SAFA) was fined 10,000 Swiss francs, and Mokoena obtained a proper warning.
SAFA now has 10 days to request a full written rationalization from FIFA and might nonetheless attraction the ruling.
Though SAFA hasn’t launched an official response but, the ruling has sparked criticism from different groups. Benin coach Gernot Rohr referred to as the delay in FIFA’s choice “very, very unusual.”
With the standings now tighter than ever, South Africa faces elevated strain of their last group video games. Another slip-up may finish their World Cup hopes.
