World football governing body Fifa has confirmed it received a protest letter from the South African Football Association (Safa).

Safa lodged a formal complaint with Fifa after the controversial officiating by Senegalese referee Maquette N’Diaye during Bafana Bafana’s 1-0 defeat by Ghana in their final World Cup qualifier this past Sunday.

However, Fifa has now requested that the Ghana Football Association respond to the allegations by 20 November.

The outcome of the investigation is expected to be released on 23 November, according to Fifa correspondence.

Fifa has since responded to Safa by releasing the following statement:

‘Dear Sirs,

‘We refer to the abovementioned matter, and in particular to the protest filed by the South African Football Association on 15 November 2021 in connection with the match Ghana v. South Africa played on 14 November 2021 in the context of the Preliminary Competition for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, African Zone. The documents pertaining to the present protest are available under the following link:

‘https://cargo.fifa.org/a4cb53648a4c8592b9d4b1c49543e5ef1ebf876c3eb63d2110

‘Furthermore, we wish to inform the South African Football Association as well as the Ghana Football Association that the above-mentioned protest will be submitted to a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 23 November 2021 for consideration and decision in accordance with art. 14 (9) of the Regulations FIFA World Cup 2022TM, Preliminary Competition as well as arts. 46 and 54 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

‘In view of the foregoing, the Ghana Football Association has the opportunity to provide the secretariat of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee with any comments it deems appropriate on the aforementioned protest, if any, by 20 November 2021 at the latest, along with any document deemed necessary.

‘Finally, for the sake of clarity, please be informed that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee will decide on the protest using the file in its possession (cf. art. 20 par. 5 of the FDC).’