South Africa’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been thrown into disarray after FIFA docked Bafana Bafana three points for fielding an ineligible player.
Teboho Mokoena, who was due to serve a one-match suspension after accumulating two yellow cards earlier in the campaign, played in the 2-0 victory over Lesotho in March. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has since overturned the result, awarding Lesotho a 3-0 win.
The sanction sees South Africa tumble from top spot in Group C to second place, tied on 14 points with Benin but trailing on goal difference. SAFA has been hit with a fine of CHF 10,000, while Mokoena was issued a warning.
In its ruling, FIFA stated that South Africa had breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup Preliminary Competition Regulations. SAFA has 10 days to appeal.
Coach Hugo Broos’ men now face a tense finish to the group stage. Victories against Zimbabwe and Rwanda are non-negotiable if they are to keep their qualification dream alive, while Benin’s final clashes with Rwanda and Nigeria add further intrigue to the race.