The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ preliminary match between South Africa and Lesotho on 21 March 2025.

According to FIFA, the action contravened Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) as well as Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Preliminary Competition Regulations.

As a result, the Committee has declared the match forfeited by South Africa, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho. In addition, SAFA has been fined CHF 10,000, while Mokoena has received a formal warning.

The parties were notified of the decision today. Under the relevant FDC provisions, SAFA has ten days to request a motivated decision, which, if sought, will be published on legal.fifa.com. The forfeiture ruling remains subject to a possible appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.