FIFA has penalised the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, despite the player being ineligible, PUNCH Online reports.
The match, held on March 21, 2025, was part of the preliminary rounds for the 2026 World Cup.
By including Mokoena, SAFA was found guilty of violating Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the 2026 World Cup preliminary competition regulations.
As a result, FIFA has ruled that South Africa must forfeit the game, awarding Lesotho a 3-0 victory. In addition, SAFA has been fined 10,000 Swiss francs (£9,000), while Mokoena received an official warning.
In a statement released on Monday, FIFA confirmed that all parties had been informed of the Disciplinary Committee’s decision.
“The parties were notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision today,” the statement read.
“In line with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days to request a detailed, motivated decision, which, if requested, will subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com. The forfeiture ruling remains open to a possible appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.”
