Egypt, and Morocco all strengthened their positions in the race for 2026 World Cup qualification with home victories on Tuesday March 25, but South Africa are facing the prospect of being docked points after fielding an ineligible player.
South Africa extended their lead at the top of Group C with a 2-0 away win over Benin, while their nearest rivals faltered. However, their victory was overshadowed by revelations that they could lose points from their previous home win over Lesotho, where midfielder Teboho Mokoena should have been suspended after receiving two yellow cards in earlier qualifying matches.
Mokoena was excluded from South Africa’s side for Tuesday’s match in Abidjan, though officials declined to comment on the situation. South African coach Hugo Broos hinted the issue would be addressed in the coming week. In the past, teams caught fielding an ineligible player have had points deducted, but South Africa remains six points clear at the top of their group after Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Zimbabwe. Nigeria, who led through Victor Osimhen’s header, were denied all three points when Tawanda Chirewa equalised in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Egypt claimed a 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone, courtesy of Ahmed Zizo’s first-half goal, while Morocco maintained their perfect record with a 2-0 win over Tanzania. Other notable results included Cape Verde’s 2-1 win over Angola, putting them top of Group D, and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2-0 victory over Mauritania, which saw them lead Group B by a point over Senegal. The World Cup qualifiers will resume in September, with the top nine group winners advancing, along with the four best runners-up who will compete in a playoff for a final place in North America.