Super Eagles coordinator says Nigeria has plans to force Fifa to “do the needful”

By Ed Emeanua

Nigeria will take the case of Bafana’s illegal use of midfielder Teboho Mokoena against Likuena above the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), if the world body fails to act on the issue at the end of the 2026 FIFA CAF African World Cup qualifying play.

Super Eagles team coordinator, Dayo Enebi insists that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), will have no other choice than to force the issue with FIFA, if, the world body still remained uninterested in taking a decision on the matter at the end of the qualifiers.

“Since the qualification process for the World Cup is ongoing, we remain hopeful that FIFA is busy reviewing this matter concerning the illegal use of a player by South Africa,” Enebi said.

“Our hope is that FIFA will eventually take a decision on the issue before the completion of the qualifiers and will also do the needful.

“However, if the qualifiers end, and FIFA hadn’t taken a just decision on the matter, the NFF will be forced to review the issue in its entirety to see where our team (Super Eagles), stand. Following that revaluation, we may have to proceed to force the issue with FIFA, and this includes going above even the world body itself (FIFA), to find justice if necessary.

“As it is, we can only watch to see what FIFA will do concerning the various protests that have been lodged with it (FIFA) over the issue.”

This means that the contentious matter could end up at the Court of Arbitration for Sport if all parties involved fail to abide by FIFA’s decision whenever it happens, or, if the seeming insouciance of the world organization over the lingering protests on the matter persists.

Mokoena was yellow carded in South Africa’s 2-1 victory against Benin Republic in November 2023, and Bafana’s 3-1 win over Zimbabwe in November 2024, effectively ruling him for the Lesotho match on March 25, 2026.

However, South Africa failed to honor the PSL Mamelodi Sundowns star’s suspension for the next game, fielding the ineligible player in the game nonetheless. Bafana’s decision to field the illegal midfielder against Likuena in the crucial 2026 world cup qualifier has remained contentious.

The South African Football Association (SAFA), and Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, have both variously admitted wrong doing in playing the midfielder who had already accumulated maximum yellow cards that forced Mokoena to be automatically suspended for the eventful game.

But, both coach and Federation now cite a portion of the same FIFA law governing the qualifiers that stipulates a designated time frame for the aggrieved opposition to file its protest, as their excuse.

FIFA’s Legal handbook states: “Protests must reach the Disciplinary Committee in writing, indicating the relevant grounds, within 24 hours of the end of the match in question.”

It further states: “The 24-hour time limit cannot be extended. For the sake of the smooth running of the competition, the corresponding competition regulations may shorten the deadline accordingly.”

However, the same FIFA Legal Handbook published in September 2024, hands the world body the right to award the aggrieved team (in this case Lesotho) a delayed win via forfeit.

Indeed, precedence has shown FIFA with the right of retrograde punishment for erring teams caught fielding suspended players during its qualifiers in previous instances.

In 2013, Zurich stripped Ethiopia of three points in their World Cup qualifying run for playing an ineligible player against Botswana. FIFA ruled against Ethiopia’s 2-1 win over Botswana on June 8, 2013, for fielding Minyahile Beyene who was suspended for receiving two yellow cards in earlier qualifiers. The ruling saw FIFA awarding the match to Botswana with a 3-0 scoreline.

Also, FIFA’s disciplinary committee hammered the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) with a $6,348 USD fine. The federation opted against appealing the ruling, rather admitting that Minyahile was ineligible for the Botswana game. EFF’s explanation for playing Minyahile was blamed an administrative error where officials “forgot” about his suspension.

Importantly, FIFA disciplinary actions against Ethiopia regarding Minyahile was not preceded by a Botswana protest over the matter.

Again, in November 2017, FIFA hammered Nigeria for playing an ineligible player against Algeria in their last World Cup qualifying match for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The encounter in Constantine which ended in a 1-1 stalemate, was repealed, with Algeria rewarded with a 3-0 win.

The punishment failed to deter Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, having earlier booked its place in Russia before the Algeria match. Abdullahi Shehu featured in the entire game against the Desert Foxes despite being suspended for accumulating yellow cards in two previous qualifiers.

The Nigeria wing back was cited during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 defeat of Zambia, which ensured Super Eagles’ World Cup place in Russia. Shehu was also cautioned in the first leg of their second-round game with Swaziland in November 2015.

The Nigerian Football Federation was equally imposed a $6,000 USD penalty for this negligence. However, FIFA took these decisions against Nigeria without a prior protest by Algeria. Nigeria blamed miscommunication via official email for the error.

In the instances above, it is obvious that FIFA did not support ignorance for it’s rule being used by the offenders as a reason to evade punishment. It also took its decision without the prior protests of the victims.

South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana’s illegal use of midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their March 25 home fixture against Lesotho in the ongoing qualifiers is a gross violation of the rule, which calls for an automatic three points deduction and three goals awarded against Bafana for this bridge of the qualifying rules.

Should FIFA decide to uphold its own rule, this could hand Likuena three points and three goals in the six team FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C, while Bafana will be docked three points and suffer additional three goals deduction, likely altering South Africa’s lead at the top of the table.

Group C

Nigeria was not beaten away to South Africa Tuesday in Bloemfontein and is not shy of qualifying for the 2026 world cup mathematically, while on 11 points in Group C. Bafana also did not lose Tuesday on at home, thereby, fortifying their six points lead over Nigeria on 17 points.

Benin Republic is however placed second in the group on 14 points, 3 points adrift of the group leader. South Africa’s decision to field Mokoena against Lesotho in March 2025 qualifiers, continues to haunt the Bafana. A FIFA decision to dock Bafana points will see Benin Republic level on 14 points with Bafana, who will however enjoy a 1 goal difference advantage over the the Cheetahs going into the last two games of the series.