FIFA has handed South Africa a 3-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Africa.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has taken action against the South African Football Association (SAFA) after ruling that the national team fielded an ineligible player in their World Cup qualifiers clash with Lesotho in March 2025.
The player in question, Teboho Mokoena, appeared in the fixture despite not being eligible to play. Following a review, FIFA confirmed that South Africa breached its competition regulations, leading to a significant sanction.
As punishment, South Africa has been ordered to forfeit the match, with a 3-0 victory awarded to Lesotho, and fined CHF 10,000. SAFA has been given 10 days to appeal the decision, though overturning such rulings is typically difficult.
This development could have major consequences for South Africa’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Prior to the ruling, Bafana Bafana had collected points that kept them in contention in their group.
The disciplinary decision, however, not only erases that result but also boosts the position of other countries such as the Benin Republic, Rwanda, and Nigeria in the standings, tightening the race for qualification. Losing three points in this manner could prove costly as every result counts in the bid to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
