South African Football Association (SAFA) President Danny Jordaan has slammed the door shut on the Association’s of a legal appeal against FIFA’s decision to deduct points from the country’s qualifiers to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
South Africa suffered a three point and three goal deduction from FIFA for fielding an unqualified player in a qualification game against Lesotho but managed to top Group C with 18 points to finish as one of nine African nations to qualify automatically to next year’s World Cup.
However, SAFA had indicated that a formal complaint was being put together to challenge the decision but in the wake of Bafana Bafana sealing qualification to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, Danny Jordaan says the issue is closed.
“Well we are going to the World Cup so the matter is closed. We are not interested in the matter.”
SAFA President Danny Jordaan (Photo by Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
“We are going to the World Cup we’ve qualified and that’s where we go. We are not going to dwell on what is behind.”
FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy(Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“What is behind us is behind us, what is in front of us is a World Cup, is the African Cup of Nations, we’ve spoken” Jordaan said to Newzroom Afrika.
Sipho Percevale Mbule of South Africa in action during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between South Africa and Nigeria (Photo by Charlé Lombard/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
