By Pius Ayinor
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup preliminary qualifier played against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.
According to the FIFA statement, SAFA’s action breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations. As a result, the match has been forfeited in favour of Lesotho, with a 3-0 scoreline awarded.
The sanction has changed the group’s table with the Republic of Benin managed by Nigeria’s former coach Gernot Rohr now leading. Benin and South Africa have 14points each but Benin’s +4 goals as against South Africa’s +2 makes the difference. Nigeria’s Super Eagles remain third with 11 points with just two matches left for all sides to play.
The statement from Switzerland reads, “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.
“SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA, while Teboho Mokoena has been issued with a warning.
“The parties were notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com . The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.”
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