South Africa deducted points by FIFA for fielding ineligible player in World Cup qualifier

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been hit with sanctions by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee after it was found guilty of fielding an ineligible player during the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers.

The case stems from the fixture between South Africa and Lesotho, played on March 21, 2025, where Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena was included in the matchday squad despite not meeting the eligibility requirements.

FIFA ruled that this violated Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup Preliminary Competition Regulations.

As a result, FIFA has declared the match forfeited in favour of Lesotho, with a 3-0 scoreline officially awarded to the Likuena. This decision means South Africa loses the points earned on the pitch, a significant blow to their qualification hopes.

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In addition to the forfeiture, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000 (approximately $11,000) for the infraction. Teboho Mokoena himself has been issued with a formal warning. The ruling stated:

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.

The sanction underscores FIFA’s strict stance on regulatory compliance during qualifiers, where eligibility rules are closely enforced to ensure fair competition.

SAFA has been notified of the decision and, in line with FIFA regulations, has ten days to lodge an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Should the ruling stand, South Africa’s campaign will suffer a setback, with Lesotho handed a crucial boost in Group qualification standings.

The ruling has significantly altered the picture in Group C of the African qualifiers. Benin move to the top with 14 points, pushing South Africa into second place on the same points tally but with lesser goal difference.

Nigeria and Rwanda, both on 11 points, together with Lesotho on nine, remain very much in the race for qualification as the campaign heads into its final stages.

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Full FIFA ruling below: