The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been hit with sanctions from FIFA following the ineligibility of midfielder Teboho Mokoena in the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup preliminary match against Lesotho on 21 March 2025.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Match Declared Forfeit
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that South Africa had breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations by fielding Mokoena, who was deemed ineligible to play.
As a result, the fixture has been awarded 3-0 in favour of Lesotho, overturning South Africa’s on-field result.
In addition to the forfeit, SAFA has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA.
Mokoena himself was issued with a formal warning but will face no further suspension at this stage.
Appeal Window Open
The parties were notified of the ruling, and SAFA has ten days to request a motivated decision. If lodged, the full reasoning behind the sanctions will be published on FIFA’s legal website. SAFA also has the right to appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee, although the forfeit ruling remains binding until overturned.
Impact on Group C Standings
The sanction has had an immediate impact on Group C of the African qualifiers, with South Africa losing valuable points in a tight race for top spot.
Updated Group C Log
- Benin – 14 pts (+4)
- South Africa – 14 pts (+3)
- Nigeria – 11 pts (+2)
- Rwanda – 11 pts (0)
- Lesotho – 9 pts (-3)
- Zimbabwe – 4 pts
The deduction now means Bafana Bafana are level on points with Benin, but trail on goal difference, dropping them to second place. With Nigeria and Rwanda still within striking distance, the group remains wide open.
What This Means for Bafana Bafana
The ruling is a major blow to South Africa’s qualification hopes, as every point counts in the closely contested group. SAFA must now decide whether to appeal the sanction while the team prepares for their remaining fixtures under added pressure.
Related article: Bafana Bafana World Cup Dream in Jeopardy Over Mokoena Suspension
