FIFA Penalizes South Africa With Three-Point Deduction For Fielding Ineligible Player
By Odunuga Yusuf
In a significant disciplinary action, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for deploying an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the preliminary qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.
FIFA’s ruling, which cites violations of Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations, has resulted in the forfeiture of the match, retroactively changing South Africa’s 2-0 win into a 3-0 loss in favor of Lesotho.
Consequently, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, and Mokoena has received an official warning. Infomed of the decision today, SAFA has ten days to file a request for a detailed written explanation, which will subsequently be published on FIFA’s legal website. The ruling is also open for appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee.
This decision dramatically alters the standings in Group C, where prior to the sanctions, Hugo Broos’ squad was leading with 17 points from eight matches, enjoying a three-point lead over Benin. With the adjusted score now reflecting a loss, Benin has overtaken South Africa to claim the top position in the group.
