FIFA has sanctioned South Africa for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho, a ruling that has blown Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers wide open and handed Nigeria a lifeline.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee awarded Lesotho a 3-0 victory after South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena featured in the March 21 qualifier at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, despite being suspended.
Bafana Bafana had originally won the game 2-0, with Mokoena playing 82 minutes, but he was suspended and should have missed the match after accumulating two yellow cards in earlier fixtures.
A statement from the global football body read: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for having fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa v. 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.”
As part of the sanctions, the South African Football Association (SAFA) have been fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received a formal warning. Both parties have been notified and SAFA has ten days to appeal the decision before FIFA’s Appeal Committee.
The punishment is a major setback for South Africa’s bid to reach their first World Cup since hosting in 2010.
With the ruling, Benin Republic leapfrog Bafana Bafana into top spot in Group C. Despite both teams amassing 14 points after eight games, the Cheetahs now boast a superior goal difference.
Nigeria sit just three points behind in third place, with two qualifying matches remaining. The October international break now promises high drama as the race for a World Cup ticket heats up.