Joe
29 September 2025 — The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been sanctioned by FIFA after fielding an ineligible player during a 2026 FIFA World Cup™ preliminary qualifier against Lesotho PeakNews Online reports.
The match, played on 21 March 2025, featured South African midfielder Teboho Mokoena, whose inclusion breached FIFA’s regulations. Following an investigation, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee found SAFA in violation of Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Preliminary Competition Regulations.
As a result, FIFA has declared the match forfeited, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho. Additionally, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, and Mokoena has received a formal warning.
The decision was communicated to all parties today. Under FIFA regulations, SAFA has ten days to request a detailed, motivated decision. If requested, the full reasoning will be published on legal.fifa.com. The forfeiture ruling remains open to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.
The sanction could have significant implications for South Africa’s qualification hopes in the lead-up to the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
