2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: FIFA slap South Africa with 3-point deduction after fielding ineligible player

The South African Football Association have been penalized for fielding an ineligible player (Teboho Mokoena) in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho.

The Disciplinary Committee under world's football governing body, FIFA, have imposed a sanction on the South African Football Association for fielding an ineligible player in their 2026 FIFA World Cup round 5 qualifying game against Lesotho on March 21 2025 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.

In light of that, the Disciplinary Committee under FIFA notified the SAFA of their misconduct in the September international break when they fielded Teboho Mokoena in the qualifying game against Nigeria in their 1-1 stalemate at home.

However, SAFA subsequently released a communique about their acknowledgement of the notice and agreed to adhere to any sanctions that come from the misconduct.

FIFA applied Article 19 of the Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the Preliminary Competition Regulations, stating that the Bafana Bafana team have been slapped with a forfeiture of the game against Lesotho, thus relieving them of three points in the qualification and consequently, having them slip from the first position of Group C to the second position, being at par with Benin on points. With two final qualifying games left to play, the group still looks open for any of the nations.

Also the South African Football Association (SAFA) have been slapped with a fine of CHF 10,000, whilst Teboho Mokoena received an official caution. The forfeiture remains subject to appeal before the FIFA Appeals Committee.

The ruling underline's FIFA's enforcement of eligibility regulations in the FIFA World Cup qualification processes.

This is how Group C of the CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification table looks like after the sanction: