South Africa’s bid to reach the 2026 Fifa World Cup has been dealt a crushing setback after world football’s governing body sanctioned the national team for fielding an ineligible player.
Midfielder Teboho Mokoena featured in Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho in March despite being suspended. The 28-year-old had picked up two yellow cards earlier in the qualifying campaign, triggering a one-match ban.
Following a review, Fifa’s disciplinary committee ruled that South Africa breached competition rules. The punishment is severe: the Lesotho match has been forfeited 3-0, the South African Football Association (Safa) has been fined 10,000 Swiss francs (£9,340 / $12,500), and Mokoena has been handed a formal warning.
The ruling dramatically reshapes Group C in African qualifying. South Africa, previously leading the group, now drop to second place behind Benin on goal difference. With only group winners guaranteed a ticket to the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the decision has thrown the race wide open.
It also breathes new life into the campaigns of Nigeria and Rwanda, who both sit three points behind the top two. The closing rounds of fixtures in October promise to be decisive: Benin face away trips to Rwanda and Nigeria, while South Africa travel to Zimbabwe before hosting Rwanda in their final game.
Safa has 10 days to appeal the sanction, but unless it is overturned, Bafana Bafana’s World Cup hopes hang in the balance.
In the penultimate round of qualifiers on 10 October, Benin visit Rwanda, Lesotho host Nigeria and South Africa take on Zimbabwe.
The final set of key games on 14 October see South Africa hosting Rwanda while Benin are at neighbouring Nigeria.
Losing the points is a major embarrassment for the South African Football Association, with coach Hugo Broos already admitting: “We did something bad, we did something we shouldn’t do.”
