Did Nigeria manipulate FIFA? How…?

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has launched a scathing attack on Nigeria, accusing the Super Eagles of manipulating FIFA behind the scenes to sabotage Bafana Bafana’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

In a fiery interview with Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, Broos claimed that Nigeria’s pressure tactics were directly responsible for South Africa’s controversial three-point deduction for fielding ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

Nigeria blamed for FIFA ruling

Broos expressed disbelief at the timing of FIFA’s decision, which came six months after Mokoena played in a 2-0 win over Lesotho. The midfielder had accumulated two yellow cards in previous matches, making him ineligible, a fact Broos insists was unknown to SAFA, his staff, and even FIFA until just weeks before a crucial qualifier.

“It’s not normal, is it? No doubt due to pressure from Nigeria, which was in a losing position and now has a chance again,” Broos said. “If this costs us the World Cup, it will be truly heartbreaking.”

He added that since the incident, ten staff members have been assigned to track yellow cards, ensuring such an error never happens again.

Accusations of competitive sabotage

Broos didn’t stop at Nigeria. He also criticized Zimbabwe’s attempt to relocate their upcoming qualifier to Francistown, Botswana — a move he called “competitive distortion.” Although South Africa had no formal veto power, Broos claimed they resisted the change, arguing that no other team had been forced to play Zimbabwe in Botswana.

“Annoying opponents is a continental sport in Africa,” he quipped, suggesting that gamesmanship and venue manipulation are rampant across the continent.

Rwanda and Nigeria incidents add fuel

Reflecting on past qualifiers, Broos described the November 2023 match in Rwanda, played on flooded, uneven artificial turf, as a “real disgrace.” He questioned how FIFA could have approved the venue, noting that South Africa was the only team forced to play there.

He also recalled a bizarre travel delay before a June 2024 match against Nigeria, where Bafana’s charter flight was grounded for hours because the destination runway allegedly lacked lighting.

“Surely this kind of situation can finally end in 2025,” Broos said, calling for greater fairness and professionalism in African football.

 Hope remains despite setbacks

Despite the controversies, Broos remains optimistic about South Africa’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. He described the public’s support as overwhelming, sharing anecdotes of fans and even police officers stopping him for selfies.

“The whole country will celebrate if we pull it off,” he said. “It bodes well for the future. Or at least I hope so.”