South Africa Face FIFA Sanction Over Ineligible Player in World Cup Qualifier

Bafana Bafana's path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been clouded by controversy, as the South African Football Association (SAFA) confirmed on Tuesday that FIFA has yet to issue a ruling on the eligibility blunder involving midfielder Teboho Mokoena.

The Controversy: Mokoena Should Have Been Suspended

Key Mamelodi Sundowns player Mokoena played for South Africa against Lesotho in their 2026 World Cup qualifying match, which Bafana won. But he was ineligible for the match against Lesotho because he had received two yellow cards in previous qualifiers against Benin and Zimbabwe.

SAFA now faces the risk of losing three points, which would significantly impact their Group C standing in the African qualifiers.

What SAFA Said: “We Weren’t Alerted”

Appearing before South Africa’s portfolio committee on sport, SAFA President Danny Jordaan, CEO Lydia Monyepao, CFO Gronie Hluyo, and executive member Poobie Govindasamy struggled to explain the incident.

Govindasamy eventually stated:

“That matter is still under investigation. When FIFA makes that decision, then only can we complete the investigation.”

He explained that neither SAFA, CAF, nor the match commissioner were informed of the yellow card accumulation.

“This came up only after the game against Lesotho.”

Potential Consequences

Points Deduction: If FIFA rules against SAFA, South Africa could forfeit the Lesotho match and lose three vital points.

Qualification Jeopardy: Bafana leads their group by five points at the moment, but opponents like Nigeria and Rwanda might gain ground if they were to be deducted.

Upcoming Fixtures (High Stakes)

• Sept 1 – vs Lesotho
• Sept 8 – vs Nigeria
• Oct 6 – vs Zimbabwe
• Oct 13 – vs Rwanda

These matches will now carry added pressure, with qualification hopes potentially hanging on FIFA’s pending decision.

Committee Demands Accountability

ActionSA MP Athol Trollip questioned the lack of internal accountability, asking what steps were taken against the official responsible for tracking yellow cards. SAFA could not provide a clear answer.

Final Word

For now, SAFA and South African fans can only wait, hoping that FIFA’s decision won’t unravel their promising campaign. With the World Cup dream still alive, this administrative misstep could prove costly both on and off the pitch.