“I’m Sorry”: South Africa Legend Speaks On How He Cost Bafana Bafana 3 Points, 3 Goals

• A former national team goalkeeper has berated the leadership of South Africa Football Association for their poor handling of technical issues.
• Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player in their game against the Crocodiles in the World Cup qualifying series
• The Lesotho Football Association has written an appeal to FIFA after failing to meet up with the 24-hour window

South African football legend has urged the country's football authorities to apologise to the nation for the embarrassment caused by fielding an ineligible player.

Despite Bafana Bafana’s strong performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, this controversy has overshadowed their achievements.

South Africa top Group C of the CAF qualifiers with 13 points, Benin and Rwanda are on eight points each, while Nigeria have seven.

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Khune unhappy with South Africa FA

Former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has weighed on the issue surrounding South Africa fielding Teboho Mokoena despite being ineligible to play.

According to Goal, the Kaizer Chiefs legend said someone in the South Africa Football Association must apologise to the nation.

The 37-year-old recalled a similar incident that happened in 2011 where they missed out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) per SoccerLaduma.

He said a mail was sent to the Football Association from CAF stating that head-to-head does not qualify. He said:

“Someone must be accountable, and someone must come out and say to the nation, "I'm sorry that I've cost the national team the three points and the three goals".

"Same thing that is happening right now, being deducted three points and three goals after so much hard work that was put in; someone must be held accountable. Because we can't keep on taking 10 steps forward and taking 20 steps backward.

“When we were playing in the 2011 AFCON qualifiers, I remember we thought we were left with one game. We needed a draw.

We celebrated in Nelspruit thinking that we had qualified, only to find out someone from SAFA ignored the email from CAF or from FIFA stating that head-to-head means you can't qualify”.

Lesotho head to FIFA

The Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has maintained that the world's football governing body FIFA must deduct three points from South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Bafana Bafana featured Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena, violating FIFA regulations due to accumulated yellow cards.

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South Africa battled hard to secure a 2-0 victory over Lesotho in their FIFA World Cup qualifier at Peter Mokaba Stadium last week.

Mokoena received his first yellow card against Benin Republic in November 2023 and his second against Zimbabwe in June 2024 per Sportwire.

Mokhosi Mohapi, the FA's general secretary, stated that they hope FIFA will follow its rules after Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player.

The LeFA boss said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika:

“First of all, you should understand that the Lesotho Football Association is a member of Fifa, which is in good standing, and therefore we are obligated to protect the integrity of sports.

Zambia risks FIFA ban

Legit.ng earlier reported that Zambia might be banned from FIFA because government officials are interfering with the country's football administration.

Further reports say that the International Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ), a government organisation, petitioned FIFA calling for the establishment of a transitional committee, an independent electoral body, and a thorough review of the Football Association of Zambia’s (FAZ) electoral process.

FIFA rules state that member associations are legally obligated to oversee their operations autonomously, without interference from outside entities, such as government organisations.