By Our Reporter
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.
FIFA ruled that SAFA’s action breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup Preliminary Competition Regulations. Consequently, the match has been forfeited to Lesotho, with a 3-0 scoreline awarded.
In addition to the forfeiture, SAFA was fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received an official warning.
The decision was formally communicated to the parties on Monday. Under FIFA rules, SAFA has ten days to request a detailed ruling, which remains subject to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.
Before the ruling, South Africa topped Group C with 17 points from eight matches. However, the deduction has allowed Benin to leapfrog them into first place.
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