FIFA Sanctions South African Football Association Over Ineligible Player

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has ruled that South Africa must forfeit its 21 March 2025 World Cup qualifying win over Lesotho after the national side fielded midfielder Teboho Mokoena while he was ineligible. The match — originally a 2-0 victory for South Africa, has been awarded 3-0 to Lesotho, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, and Mokoena has received a formal warning.

The ruling, published by FIFA, found that South Africa breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations by selecting a player who should have been suspended for the accumulation of cautions. FIFA’s decision replaces the on-field result with a 3-0 forfeit and notifies the parties that they have ten days to request a motivated decision; the finding is also subject to any potential appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee.

What happened and why

According to reporting and the FIFA statement, Mokoena had received prior cautions in the qualifying campaign that triggered an automatic one-match suspension. He nonetheless played in the March fixture in Polokwane against Lesotho, prompting the disciplinary review. Under FIFA rules, a team that fields an ineligible player in a competitive match can be punished by forfeiture of the match and a default 3-0 scoreline unless the original result is more disadvantageous to the offending side.

Sanctions and immediate effect

• Match result: Forfeited; Lesotho awarded a 3-0 win.
• Fine: South African Football Association (SAFA) ordered to pay CHF 10,000 to FIFA.
• Player outcome: Teboho Mokoena issued with a warning by FIFA.

Competition implications

The decision alters Group C dynamics in the African qualifying section. The deduction of points from South Africa’s tally moves the table and tightens the race for the single automatic qualification slot to the 2026 World Cup in North America. Media coverage says the ruling leaves South Africa level on points with Benin (but behind on goal difference), while Nigeria and Rwanda remain close behind, raising the stakes for the final round of qualifiers later this month.

Reactions and next steps

SAFA admitted there had been an administrative error, while some commentators criticised the delay between the March match and FIFA’s decision. The federation, which said it is preparing a response, and other affected parties have the right to seek publication of a motivated decision and to lodge an appeal with the FIFA Appeal Committee within the procedural windows FIFA set out. Meanwhile, competing nations have called the ruling long overdue and said it could reshape their qualification strategies.

Background context

Similar cases have occurred in African qualifying history, where administrative or eligibility errors led to match forfeits and points deductions; the incident is a reminder to national associations of the importance of strict compliance with disciplinary and eligibility rules.