The Super Eagles of Nigeria have received fresh hope for a stepping stone in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, as the secretary-general of Lesotho Football Association, Mokhosi Mohapi insists South Africa must be deducted three points for fielding an inelligible player against his country.
Sports247 gathered that, with the race for the group’s lone ticket still tight into the last four matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, South Africa’s current six-point lead ahead of Nigeria would be cut to only three should FIFA’s hammer come down on Bafana Bafana.
That jolly well might end up as a reality for South Africa to regret and Nigeria to relish, as Mohapi stressed that FIFA should apply the necessary punishment according to precedents and fair play.
The scribe declared, “Lesotho Football Association is a member of FIFA, and we are in good standing. We are obligated, therefore, to protect the integrity of the sport.
“We are also obligated to assist FIFA in protecting the integrity of the game. So, we are saying to FIFA, ‘Live and die by your regulations.'”
Although the scenario might eventually favour Nigeria more than Lesotho, Mohapi went on to declare that his country is only standing by laid down rules of the game, and not seeking any unwarranted favours from the global football ruling body.
He added, “If you have precedents where you have deducted points before in matters that are very similar to the subject of today, do (what should be done), so that your notion of fair play is applied irrespective of who is the perpetrator in this instance.”
The Lesotho FA secretary concluded by stressing that FIFA should go ahead and apply the full weight of their rules against Bafana Bafana, as the federation had done in previous cases, one of which affected Nigeria, when they fielded Shehu Abdullahi against Algeria in their last match of the Russia 2018 qualifiers.
“If FIFA finds out that they had in instances before deducted points and allocated them somewhere else, it just means they will have to do the same now, without looking at technicalities.
“We are merely helping FIFA as a bona-fide member in good standing that they should live and die by their regulations and be seen to apply the notion of fairplay consistently,” Mohapi reiterated.
