FIFA Sanctions South Africa Over Ineligible World Cup Player

FIFA Sanctions South Africa Over Ineligible World Cup Player

FIFA has sanctioned the South African Football Association after it fielded midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho despite the player being ineligible.

The match, played on March 21 2025, formed part of the preliminary competition for the 2026 World Cup.

By selecting Mokoena, SAFA was found to have breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the World Cup 2026 preliminary competition regulations.

FIFA confirmed that South Africa must forfeit the fixture by a score of 3-0 in favour of Lesotho. Safa has also been ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (£9,000), while Mokoena has been issued with a warning.

In a statement on Monday, FIFA said the decision had already been communicated to the parties involved.

“The parties were notified of the terms of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee’s decision today,” it read.

“In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com. The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.”