The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved to clarify ongoing confusion surrounding the eligibility row involving South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Mokoena, who featured in Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho on March 21, was alleged to have been ineligible after accumulating yellow cards against Benin (November 18, 2023) and Zimbabwe (June 11, 2024). Under FIFA rules, the Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder should have served a one-match suspension.

Following the match, the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) lodged an official protest. However, reports suggest the complaint may not have been submitted within the mandatory 24-hour window.

In recent days, speculation has grown after FIFA’s X (formerly Twitter) account carried posts on the matter, with some interpreting them as confirmation of South Africa avoiding sanctions. But NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, has dismissed such claims.

> “There has been no official communication to that effect. What people are reporting is a tweet from their (FIFA) X account. We do not consider that as official communication,” Olajire stated.

The uncertainty comes at a critical time for Nigeria. The Super Eagles’ qualification hopes are under pressure after their 1-1 draw with South Africa on September 9. They currently sit third in Group C, three points behind Benin and six adrift of leaders Bafana Bafana, with just two matches remaining.

As the race for a World Cup ticket to Canada, Mexico, and the United States heats up, the outcome of FIFA’s deliberations could prove pivotal.