FIFA sanctions Bafana Bafana for playing ineligible player, but who is to blame?

947’s Robert Marawa speaks with sports journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana.

Skip to 29.21 for this one. Watch below:

FIFA has officially deducted three points from South Africa and annulled its 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lesotho.

This is after an investigation found that they fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena.

“I warned you for six months… this was inevitable… this happened to Nigeria in 2017 so it was going to happen to [Bafana Bafana].”

– Osasu Obayiuwana, sports journalist

The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has also been ordered to pay CHF 10,000 (about R217,000) to FIFA, while Mokoena has been issued a warning.

Obayiuwana says team manager Vincent Tseka is at fault, and it is not the first blunder under his belt.   

From head coach Hugo Broos working without a permit because it wasn’t processed in time, to the team not having a training field ahead of a match. 

“He has been making serious mistakes before now and nothing was done to call him to order. Now the bazooka of all mistakes has been made, and you all are paying heavily for it.”

– Osasu Obayiuwana, sports journalist

In a statement, SAFA acknowledged the ruling and apologised to the nation.

“As SAFA, we are deeply disappointed with this unprecedented outcome noting that it was delivered by a single-member panel without reasons, and without affording the Association an opportunity to present legal arguments,” the association said.

While SAFA has the right to appeal the decision, Obayiuwana says it won’t be worth it.

With a three-point deduction and a change in the goal difference, Bafana Bafana has been booted to second place on the group table with 14 points.

Benin, also on 14 points, sit top of the table due to a higher goal difference.

South Africa will need to push to secure convincing wins in its last two games against Zimbabwe (10 October) and Rwanda (13 October) if they hope to comfortably qualify.

Only the group winners will secure a guaranteed place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Scroll up to the video player to watch to the discussion.