The Lesotho national football team, also known as LNFT, represents Lesotho in men's international association football and is governed by the Lesotho Football Association.
Following Lesotho's independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, the Lesotho Football Association was created, and later, the Lesotho national football team, which played its first match on 7 August 1970 against Malawi, where Lesotho won 2-1.
Lesotho participated in its first World Cup qualifiers, for the 1974 tournament, drawing 0âÂÂ0 against Zambia at home before losing 1âÂÂ6 in the second leg and getting eliminated. Lesotho was also eliminated in the first round of qualifying for the 1974 AFCON, losing 1âÂÂ5 to Mauritius after a 0âÂÂ0 draw in the first leg. Lesotho faced Mauritius again in their next attempt to qualify for 1980 AFCON, losing on away goals. In qualifying for the 1982 tournament, Lesotho lost 3âÂÂ7 on aggregate to Mozambique. Lesotho then faced Guinea in the 1982 World Cup first qualification round, losing 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate.
Lesotho won their first ever qualification tie during the 1994 AFCON qualifiers, beating Botswana 4âÂÂ0 on aggregate, with all four goals coming in the second leg in Botswana. With this victory they entered the group stage of qualifying, managing to draw against Kenya (2âÂÂ2), Zaire (1âÂÂ1), and Mozambique (1âÂÂ1) at home, but losing all three away fixtures to finish bottom of the group.
Lesotho withdrew from the 1996 AFCON qualification and was subsequently banned from the next tournament therefore next entered the 2000 AFCON qualifiers, losing in the first round to Mauritius. Lesotho qualified for the 1999 COSAFA Cup after beating Namibia 1âÂÂ0, but lost to eventual winners Angola 0âÂÂ1 in the quarter-finals. The following year Lesotho produced their best ever finish at the 2000 COSAFA Cup, only qualifying for the tournament via disciplinary record. They beat Zambia 3âÂÂ1 on penalties before scoring two late goals against Angola in the semi-finals to win 2âÂÂ1. In the final they lost 3âÂÂ0 twice across two legs to Zimbabwe to finish as runners-up.
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
The following players were selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification â CAF Group C matches against South Africa and Rwanda on 21 and 25 March 2025.
Caps and goals correct as of 25 March 2025, after the match against Rwanda.
The following players have also been called up to the Lesotho squad within the last twelve months.
<sup>INJ</sup> Withdrew due to injury<br/> <sup>PRE</sup> Preliminary squad / standby<br/> <sup>RET</sup> Retired from the national team<br/> <sup>SUS</sup> Serving suspension<br/> <sup>WD</sup> Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
As of 31 March 2026 after match against Seychelles