By Felix Durumbah
There is concern, even some fear, in South Africa over the national football team, Bafana Bafana’s possible ill-fate in the final run-in to 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Bafana sit on 17 points atop the Group C pile, which includes,among others, Nigeria’s Super Eagles (who are third), but South Africans keep looking over their shoulders at the star-studded Nigerians due to FIFA’s seeming silence on Bafana’s use of an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the March 0-2 away win versus Lesotho.
Mokoena should have been suspended for that match.
Now, panic has gripped South Africans over the implications of a future FIFA axe on their standing in the overall Group log.
A leading national newspaper in South Africa, The Sowetan, captured this mood in its sports pages’ lead story today.
The Sowetan is one of the largest national newspapers in South Africa.
Checks by People&Politics showed that the editorially left-leaning paper, with headquarters in Johannesburg, commands millions in daily readership and is highly influential in the late Nelson Mandela’s country.
Headlined ‘Mokoena Bungle Means Bafana May Need Two Wins From Two To Be Sure Of Qualification’, the story runs thus:
“Mathematically, Bafana Bafana may still need two wins from their last two matches next month to be sure of qualification for the 2026 World Cup, if FIFA docks three points over a suspension bungle.
“The South Africans, though, will hope things transpire in a way they don’t need maximum points, given their only remaining realistic challengers, Benin, face two tough last games and seem likely to drop points.
“On form, Bafana will even be optimistic they can score wins against Rwanda and last-placed Zimbabwe in two games to be played in South Africa.
“After all, they took four points from this month’s games, beating Lesotho 3-0 at Free State Stadium on Friday and drawing 1-1 against pre-campaign group heavyweights Nigeria at the same venue on Tuesday, on a substandard pitch and missing six front-line performers, with coach Hugo Broos throwing in some youngsters.
“South Africa have their strongest line-up in two decades, the best coach overseeing it and talent emerging in spades, some of whom were fielded in this month’s two matches, many who are yet to break into Bafana, such as the Amajita stars who won their Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in May.
“South Africa also know, though, nothing is certain in football and sometimes the “easier” games can backfire.
“One thing is certain, the side heavily favoured to progress to the first 48-team World Cup next year in Mexico, Canada and the US from Group C is South Africa.
“Bafana have 17 points from eight matches having suffered one defeat, 2-0 away against Rwanda on an appalling surface way back in November 2023.
“Second-placed Benin beat Lesotho 4-0 on Tuesday night to remain in the hunt three points behind on 14.
“As things stand, one win from their last two matches would see Bafana officially qualified.
“However, they would not want to take a chance on FIFA still docking them points over the error of fielding Teboho Mokoena when he should have been suspended in the 2-0 win against Lesotho in Polokwane in March.
“Strangely, FIFA’s disciplinary outcomes for that round of matches have come out and Bafana were not sanctioned.
“The South African Football Association will be hoping it escaped unscathed because its argument that Lesotho did not protest within the prescribed period has been accepted by FIFA.
“However, there is much precedent for FIFA stepping in to sanction teams for such offences when the evidence is so clear without any protest having been lodged.
“The noise being made by opposition FAs in Group C over the lack of a sanction might force FIFA to still take action.
“Three points docked as things stand would leave Bafana level with Benin on 14 points and only three ahead of Nigeria and Rwanda (both 11).
“One win from their remaining two games would mean Nigeria and Rwanda would need maximum points from their two matches to draw level with South Africa.
“In that scenario, Bafana’s superior goal difference (+8 at present to Nigeria’s +2 and Rwanda’s 0) should keep them ahead of those two.
“In FIFA tournaments, goal difference and not head-to-head results apply when points are level.
“However, Benin have six points left to play for in their remaining games against Rwanda and Nigeria, though both are tough and away from home.
“If points are docked and Benin and South Africa do end level, Bafana’s goal difference should also prevail if they keep ahead of Benin’s, which is +4 presently.
“Broos said ahead of this month’s two games he would love six points but would be happy with four.
“He knew if his team beat Lesotho, doing the same against the star-studded Nigerians would be tougher, but as long as South Africa did not lose the second match, they would be in a healthy position.
“By drawing against the Super Eagles, Bafana have left their fate in their own hands. Even with points docked they really should attain their first World Cup qualification other than as hosts since 2002.”
PHOTO CAPTION: A Super Eagles star (in white) battles for the ball with a Bafana player.
