2026 WCQ: South Africa's Qualification Hopes Hit After 3-Point Deduction
FIFA deducts 3 points from South Africa for fielding ineligible player FIFA sanctions South African Football Association with 3-point deduction and CHF 10,000 fine for fielding ineligible player Teboho Mokoena in World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.
The deduction has raised questions about FIFA's handling of the matter, with some critics arguing that the delay in resolving the issue affected...
South Africa has been stripped of three World Cup qualifying points for fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a match against Lesotho, despite winning 2-0. Mokoena was ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards in previous Group C games. As a result, Lesotho has been awarded a 3-0 victory, significantly impacting South Africa's chances of reaching the finals.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee found South Africa guilty of violating Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations. Consequently, South Africa has been fined CHF 10,000 ($12,536.04), and Mokoena received an official warning. The decision reduces South Africa's points from 17 to 14, putting them in a tight spot with Benin Republic, who now lead Group C with the same number of points but a better goal difference.
Current Group C Standings:
- Benin Republic: 14 points, +4 goal difference
- South Africa: 14 points, +3 goal difference
- Nigeria: 11 points, +2 goal difference
- Rwanda: 11 points, 0 goal difference
- Lesotho: 9 points, -3 goal difference
The deduction has raised questions about FIFA's handling of the matter, with some critics arguing that the delay in resolving the issue affected the teams' preparation for the qualifiers. Benin's coach, Gernot Rohr, expressed frustration, stating, “It's not normal that we don't know the situation about the points on the log table before our games.” With two games left, South Africa faces intense competition from Benin, Nigeria, and Rwanda.
Lesotho has been awarded a 3-0 victory over South Africa after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that South Africa fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their World Cup qualifying match. Mokoena should have served a one-game ban for accumulating yellow cards in previous games. As a result, South Africa has been stripped of the points from their original 2-0 win.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has been fined 10,000 Swiss Francs ($12,536.04) and Mokoena received an official warning. Both South Africa and SAFA have ten days to request a motivated decision, which may be published on (link unavailable) The decision is subject to appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.
Current Standings:
- Benin Republic: 14 points, tops the group on goal difference
- South Africa: 14 points
The deduction has significantly impacted South Africa's qualification chances, with Nigeria and Rwanda closing in. With only two games left, the competition is heating up in Group C. The final standings will determine which teams advance to the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria, the initial group favorites, now trail the leaders by three points, tied with Rwanda in third place with 11 points each. Benin Republic tops Group C with 14 points, while South Africa has 14 points as well, but with a better goal difference. The stakes are high, as only the group winner qualifies directly for the World Cup. However, the runner-up has a chance to secure a berth through a playoff process.
The penultimate round of qualifiers on October 10 will feature crucial matches. Benin will visit Rwanda, Lesotho will host Nigeria, and South Africa will take on Zimbabwe. These matches will set the stage for the final round, where South Africa hosts Rwanda on October 14, and Benin travels to neighboring Nigeria. The outcome of these matches will determine which team secures direct qualification for the World Cup and which teams will fight for a playoff spot.
For Nigeria to qualify, they need to win both their remaining matches and hope for favorable results from other teams. However, several second-placed teams across other groups have better points and goal differences, making it a challenging task for the Super Eagles.
Losing three points is a significant embarrassment for the South African Football Association (SAFA), especially considering coach Hugo Broos' admission of wrongdoing. Broos acknowledged the team's mistake, stating, “We did something bad, we did something we shouldn’t do.” This points deduction has dropped South Africa to second place in Group C, level on 14 points with Benin Republic but with a worse goal difference.
FIFA's handling of the matter has faced criticism for taking almost seven months to settle a seemingly routine issue. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision to deduct three points from South Africa and fine SAFA CHF 10,000 has significant implications for the team's qualification chances. Some critics argue that the delay in resolving the issue affected the teams' preparation for the qualifiers.
The points deduction has intensified the competition in Group C, with Nigeria and Rwanda closing in on South Africa. Only the group winner qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the runner-up has a chance to secure a berth through a playoff process. The final standings will determine which teams advance to the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
FIFA's handling of the South Africa case has drawn criticism from other countries, particularly Benin coach Gernot Rohr, who expressed frustration over the delay. “It is not normal that we don’t know the situation about the points on the log table before our games,” Rohr said, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the standings. The delay in resolving the issue affected teams' preparation for the qualifiers.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ultimately sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their match against Lesotho. As a result, South Africa was stripped of three points, and Lesotho was awarded a 3-0 victory. SAFA was also fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena received a warning.
The decision has significant implications for the World Cup qualification race, with Benin now leading Group C on goal difference, tied with South Africa on 14 points. Nigeria and Rwanda trail closely, with 11 points each, setting the stage for an intense final round of qualifiers.
FIFA’s rules state: “If a person receives a caution in two separate matches of the same FIFA competition, they are automatically suspended from the next match in that competition.
“If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited.
“The default result is a 3-0 loss, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team.”
Deductions for fielding ineligible players aren't new in African World Cup qualifiers. A notable instance occurred during the 2018 qualifiers when Nigeria fielded Shehu Abdullahi against Algeria despite him being ineligible. The match originally ended 1-1, but FIFA awarded Algeria a 3-0 victory, significantly impacting Nigeria's qualification chances.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned South African Football Association for fielding ineligible player Teboho Mokoena vs. Lesotho in March’s World Cup qualifier.
— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) September 29, 2025
South Africa must forfeit the match 3-0 and pay a CHF 10,000 fine to FIFA.
SAFA has 10 days to appeal. pic.twitter.com/Ae4twww6mZ
In another instance, Cape Verde Islands lost a playoff spot in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers after fielding Fernando Varela in a match against Tunisia. Despite Cape Verde's surprise win, Varela was still suspended, resulting in Tunisia advancing to the playoffs instead.
Similarly, South Africa recently faced a points deduction for a similar offense. They were docked three points and fined CHF 10,000 after fielding Teboho Mokoena, who was ineligible due to accumulated yellow cards. The decision awarded Lesotho a 3-0 victory in their World Cup qualifier, further intensifying the competition in Group C.
Upcoming Matches:
October 10:
- Benin vs. Rwanda
- Lesotho vs. Nigeria
- South Africa vs. Zimbabwe
October 14:
- South Africa vs. Rwanda
- Nigeria vs. Benin
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