South Africa’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered a major setback after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee ruled that Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player in their qualifier against Lesotho on 21 March 2025.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena was included in the match, which South Africa won on the pitch, but FIFA has now overturned the result, awarding a 3-0 forfeit victory to Lesotho.
The ruling cites breaches of Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and Article 14 of the Preliminary Competition Regulations. Alongside the points deduction, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has been fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received an official warning.
The punishment significantly reshapes Group C of the African qualifiers.
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Benin now top the group with 14 points and a superior goal difference (+4).
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South Africa drop to second, also on 14 points but with an inferior goal difference (+3).
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Nigeria (11 points), Rwanda (11 points), and Lesotho (9 points) remain firmly in the hunt.
With just a few matches left, the group is one of the tightest on the continent, and the forfeiture could prove decisive in determining who reaches the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
SAFA has been notified of the decision and retains the right to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee, although the ruling stands unless overturned.
