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FIFA has penalised the South African Football Association after it fielded midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, even though the player was ineligible to play.
The match, which took place on March 21, 2025, was part of the initial rounds for the 2026 World Cup.
By selecting Mokoena, SAFA was determined to have violated Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the regulations for the 2026 World Cup preliminary competition.
The football governing body has announced that South Africa must concede the match with a score of 3-0 in favour of Lesotho and has fined the team 10,000 Swiss francs (£9,000); Mokoena has received a warning.
In a statement released on Monday, FIFA noted that the decision had already been communicated to the involved parties, and the forfeiture decision remains open to a possible appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee.
