The South African Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed it will appeal after FIFA docked Bafana Bafana three World Cup qualifying points for fielding Teboho Mokoena against Lesotho on 21 March.
SAFA expressed deep disappointment at what it described as an unprecedented ruling. Mokoena was ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards but started in midfield.
The 2-0 victory, initially secured with goals from Relebohile Mofokeng and Jayden Adams, has now been overturned, with Lesotho awarded a 3-0 win by forfeit, pending SAFA’s appeal.
The sanction is significant because only the top-ranked team in Group C automatically progresses to the World Cup, while the four best runners-up across nine groups enter a knockout tournament for a chance at the inter-confederation playoffs.
According to ESPN, South Africa are currently the eighth-best runner-up and are just two points behind second-best runners-up Madagascar.
If the forfeit stands, Hugo Broos’ side drops from 17 to 14 points, placing them behind Benin on goal difference at the top of the group.
Bafana Bafana now face crucial matches against Zimbabwe in Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 October and Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on 14 October.
Meanwhile, Benin and Nigeria also have key fixtures, with the Super Eagles travelling to Lesotho on 10 October before facing Benin.
Full SAFA statement:
“The South African Football Association (SAFA) acknowledges a ruling by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee which sanctioned the Association for erroneously fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Lesotho played on 21 March 2025.
“In terms of the decision, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee declared the match to have been forfeited by Bafana Bafana by the score of 3-0. The Association has also further been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000, while Mokoena has been issued with a warning.
“As SAFA, we are deeply disappointed with this unprecedented outcome noting that it was delivered by a single-member panel without reasons, and without affording the Association an opportunity to present legal arguments. The Association confirms that we have requested written reasons for the judgment and intend to lodge a formal appeal with the FIFA Appeals Committee within the prescribed 10-day period under FIFA’s disciplinary rules.
“Despite the outcome, the Association emphasises its continued commitment to supporting Bafana Bafana in their qualification campaign. The players and the technical team have worked extremely hard to reach this stage, and we remain focused on ensuring they secure maximum points in the matches ahead.
“We apologise to the nation for this administrative oversight and will reflect on the steps to take at the conclusion of our qualifying campaign. Finally, we call on all South Africans to rally behind the team during this final and crucial stage of the qualifiers.
“Bafana Bafana will next face Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 10 October 2025, followed by a clash against Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium on 14 October 2025. Both matches will kick off at 18h00.”
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