A high-ranking official from the Nigeria Football Federation, RT Hon. Nse Essien, has confirmed that Lesotho has officially filed a complaint to FIFA regarding the eligibility of South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
In an exclusive statement to Pan-Africa Football, Essien stated:
"Lesotho has already filed a complaint to FIFA regarding Mokoena’s eligibility. It’s an infringement of FIFA’s laws, so we expect the law to take its course."
Essien believes that the situation is a violation of FIFA laws, and the Nigeria Football Federation expects legal action to be taken against South Africa.
The Controversy
Mokoena played in South Africa’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho in the fifth round of the CAF World Cup qualifiers, a match that helped Bafana Bafana strengthen their position at the top of Group C.
However, it was revealed that Mokoena had accumulated two yellow cards in previous matches, which should have ruled him out of this game due to suspension.
The general secretary of the Lesotho Football Association, Mokhosi Mohapi, confirmed to Pan-Africa Football that his federation has written to FIFA, seeking further action regarding this matter.
Group C Standings After Matchday 6
1. South Africa – 13 points
2. Rwanda – 8 points
3. Benin – 8 points
4. Nigeria – 7 points
5. Lesotho – 6 points
6. Zimbabwe – 4 points
The outcome of this matter may have an impact on the group standings putting Lesotho second in the standings, one point behind South Africa or make a bigger impact if other points deduction is applied.
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