FIFA Sanctions South Africa: SAFA Fined CHF 10,000 and Forced to Forfeit 3-0 Loss Over Teboho Mokoena Eligibility Breach

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has suffered a major setback in its FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifying campaign after being sanctioned by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player.

On Friday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirmed that SAFA violated Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC)and competition regulations by including midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their squad during the March 21, 2025, qualifier against Lesotho.

FIFA’s ruling delivers three significant punishments against SAFA:

• Match Forfeiture – The South Africa vs. Lesotho game has been officially forfeited, with the result overturned to a 3-0 victory for Lesotho.
• Financial Fine – SAFA must pay a fine of CHF 10,000 (approx. USD 11,000).
• Player Warning – Midfielder Teboho Mokoena has received an official warning for his role in the eligibility violation.

The forfeiture is a crushing blow to Bafana Bafana’s qualification campaign. Losing three points, along with a three-goal deficit, could prove decisive in the CAF group standings, where every point matters.

This ruling significantly dents South Africa’s chances of progressing to the next round and increases the pressure on SAFA to avoid further mistakes in the competition.

SAFA has been formally notified of the decision and retains the right to:

• Request a motivated decision in writing.
• Appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

The outcome of any appeal could prove pivotal in determining whether South Africa’s qualification ambitions remain alive.

This case highlights FIFA’s zero-tolerance approach to player eligibility violations, reinforcing that administrative errors or regulatory breaches can have severe sporting and financial consequences.

As the CAF qualifiers continue, all eyes will be on SAFA’s response—and whether Bafana Bafana can bounce back from this damaging sanction to keep their World Cup dream alive.