FIFA sanctions S’Africa for fielding ineligible player, awards Lesotho 3 points

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the World Cup 2026 preliminary competition match against Lesotho on 21 March 2025.

In its ruling, FIFA declared the match forfeited in favour of Lesotho with a 3-0 scoreline, citing a breach of Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.

Alongside the forfeiture, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena has received a formal warning.

FIFA confirmed that all parties have been notified of the decision. Under the Disciplinary Code, SAFA has 10 days to request a motivated decision, which would later be published on FIFA’s legal website. The ruling also remains open to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.(www.amatropics.com)