Nigeria’s National Team coach, Eric Chelle, has called on FIFA to take swift action regarding the Teboho Mokoena saga ahead of their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifier against Bafana Bafana, scheduled for Tuesday at the Toyota Stadium.
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfield grafter, who was already carrying two yellow cards, should have been suspended from participating in the Lesotho clash at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in March. Six months later, the issue remains unresolved, as FIFA continues to stay silent despite loud calls from Nigeria and Lesotho to have three points deducted from South Africa’s tally.
Top of the table with 16 points and three matches remaining, Hugo Broos’s men enjoy a five-point lead over second-placed Benin, while their nemesis Nigeria is six points adrift.
Chelle will guide the Super Eagles as they seek to close the gap on South Africa. Kick off is 18h00. Ahead of the important encounter, the Malian mentor has made a stern call to FIFA over the Teboho Mokoena issue.
WHAT ERIC CHELLE SAID ABOUT THE TEBOHO MOKOENA SAGA
“I’m just a coach; I lead my team,” he told journalists on Monday. “What happened around my team and around this game… talk about the yellow card. There is an organisation called FIFA. FIFA need to manage it.”
The former Mali coach said his priority was to ensure that his team remained focused on the task at hand. “Now, this is not my problem. My problem is that my players are focused. They want you to make it a great game once again.
“After that, just think about our game and not what happened around the game and around the story, but the reality, if I can tell you in one-on-one, something I think FIFA need to manage it quickly.”
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