Lesotho threatens protest if Bafana plays Mokoena in World Cup qualifier

The Lesotho Football Association has issued a warning that they will protest Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier if Bafana Bafana fields midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

According to the Lesotho FA’s secretary general, Mokhosi Mohapi, Mokoena is ineligible to play due to an unserved suspension.

The Group C match between Lesotho and Bafana Bafana is set to be staged at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein at 6 PM (SA time) on Friday. Lesotho is hosting the game in South Africa because its home stadiums do not meet the standards of CAF and FIFA.

Lesotho’s protest stems from a previous encounter with Bafana Bafana in March, a match Bafana won 2-0. They argue that Mokoena should have been suspended for that game. Although Lesotho lodged a protest with FIFA, the appeal deadline had already passed.

Mohapi insists that Mokoena never served his suspension. He believes Bafana’s decision to omit Mokoena from the team for their next game against Benin was not a proper suspension and has, therefore, affected the integrity of the previous match.

“FIFA has a set of rules. We all have to abide by the rules, and we have to do so even if it means reminding someone to do so,” Mohapi told journalists. “He never sat out any match. He was supposed to sit out our match, even the Benin match; it was just a caution. If we allow people to pick and choose [when to serve a suspension], then this football thing will go into disarray.”

Mohapi added that it was “ridiculous” that FIFA had not yet acted on the matter. He confirmed that the association would raise the issue at the pre-match meeting and would protest if Mokoena played.

Meanwhile, Lesotho’s coach, Leslie Notsi, stated that his team’s focus remains on preparing for the game, leaving the administrative issues to those in charge.

“The rest was more for the administrators to deal with,” Notsi said. “Our job is just to prepare to see to it that the team is well prepared for the match… The best thing is to focus on what you can control. That is preparing the team and waiting to hear any decision that will be made by those who are in charge.”

Bafana Bafana are currently at the top of Group C with 13 points from six games, while Lesotho is in fifth place with six points.

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