FIFA has sanctioned South Africa for fielding an ineligible player during a 2026 World Cup qualifying match, a ruling that has dramatically reshaped Group C of the African qualifiers.
The controversy centers on midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who should have been suspended after receiving two yellow cards earlier in the qualification campaign — first against Benin in November 2023 and again versus Zimbabwe in June 2024. Despite this, he featured in South Africa’s 2–0 victory over Lesotho in March 2025.
Following a disciplinary review, FIFA announced that the result of that match has been overturned. Lesotho has now been awarded a 3–0 victory, while South Africa has been docked three points and fined 10,000 Swiss francs. Mokoena also received a formal warning for the infraction.
The sanction has major consequences for the standings. South Africa, previously leading comfortably, now sits level on 14 points with Benin at the top of Group C. Nigeria and Rwanda trail closely with 11 points each, meaning the race for the sole automatic qualification spot has been blown wide open.
The South African Football Association admitted responsibility, calling the mistake an administrative error. Head coach Hugo Broos conceded the error publicly, saying, “We did something bad, we did something we shouldn’t do.”
However, FIFA has faced criticism for the delay in reaching a decision, as it took more than six months after the match for the ruling to be finalized. Coaches of rival nations, including Benin’s Gernot Rohr, expressed frustration at how the uncertainty disrupted preparations and standings in the group.
South Africa argued that because Lesotho had not filed a protest at the time, the match result should have stood. But FIFA’s rules allow it to act independently of team protests when eligibility rules are violated.
The decision cannot be appealed, and with two decisive fixtures left — against Zimbabwe and Rwanda — South Africa now faces a far tougher road to qualification. Meanwhile, Lesotho gains a crucial boost, and rivals Nigeria, Rwanda, and Benin see new opportunities to challenge for a World Cup berth.
