FIFA penalizes South Africa for using Ineligible Player In their match against Lesotho

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for having fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa vs Lesotho match played on 21 March 2025 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition, thereby breaching article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.

Consequently, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has declared the match in question to have been forfeited by the representative team of South Africa by a score of 3-0.

SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA, while Teboho Mokoena has been issued with a warning.

The parties were notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com.

The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

The report of the sanction against South Africa has reignited the dream Nigeria’s Super Eagles to participate in the 2026 World Cup.

Updated CAF Group C Standings After South Africa’s Forfeit to Lesotho

1 South Africa 14
2 Benin 14
3 Nigeria 11
4 Rwanda 11
5 Lesotho 9
6 Zimbabwe 4