FIFA has finally sanctioned the Bafana Bafana of South Africa for fielding an ineligible player in one of their qualifying matches.

The world football governing body announced the decision in a statement on Monday.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirmed that South Africa fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their World Cup qualification Group C match against Lesotho, played on 21 March 2025.

The panel ruled that Bafana Bafana breached article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.

The committee then declared that South Africa “forfeited” the match to their opponents by a score of 3-0.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for having fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa v. Lesotho match played on 21 March 2025 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition, thereby breaching article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Preliminary Competition Regulations.

“Consequently, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has declared the match in question to have been forfeited by the representative team of South Africa by a score of 3-0,” FIFA published on its official website.

SAFA was also fined CHF 10,000 while the affected player was issued with a warning.

The three points from the game have been awarded to Lesotho, while Bafana Bafana’s 17 points have been reduced to 14 points, and the team moves second with an inferior goal difference to the Benin Republic, who are also on the same number of points.

“The parties were notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision today.

“In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.com.

“The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee,” the football governing body further said.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have been handed a glimmer of hope as they sit in third place, just three points behind South Africa, with two games remaining.