FIFA has penalized South Africa by deducting three points from their 2026 World Cup qualifying score due to fielding an ineligible player.
South Africa forfeited the match against Lesotho, 3-0, and SAFA must pay FIFA CHF 10,000. Even though they suspended him, South Africa’s midfielder Teboho Mokoena played in their 2-0 win over Lesotho. Mokoena was in the lineup for the Lesotho game at FNB Stadium.
FIFA charged the player and the association with breaking various disciplinary rules, including using an ineligible player, in a September 15, 2025, letter to SAFA. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee reviewed the case, and both sides had a week to respond.
The officials warned Teboho Mokoena as a disciplinary step. The forfeit resulted in Lesotho earning three points, which subsequently shifted Group C’s ranking.
South Africa had 17 points and was at the top of Group C, but the penalty brought them down to 14 points, which is the same as Benin Republic. With two qualifying games remaining, the group’s World Cup qualification race has become much closer.
The point deduction makes Group C’s race more unpredictable, with the top team earning an automatic spot in the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.