World Cup 2026 qualifiers: FIFA hands heavy sanction to South Africa

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Bafana Bafana

The Cheetahs of Benin's head coach had repeatedly called for this. Now, it's official. South Africa has been sanctioned by FIFA in these 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

On Monday, September 29, South Africa was handed a forfeit loss for fielding a suspended player during their match against Lesotho last March, a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. This was just announced by FIFA. South Africa breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code by playing midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who had already accumulated two yellow cards—against Benin and then Zimbabwe—according to the football body's disciplinary committee.

🚨 Éliminatoires Coupe du Monde 2026

Affaire Mokoena : la FIFA sanctionne l'Afrique du Sud, qui perd le match 3-0 au profit du Lesotho. pic.twitter.com/iWThRjqIxW— Bénin Football 🇧🇯🐆 (@FootballBenin) September 29, 2025

By overturning their 2-0 win, earned on March 21 in Polokwane, to a 0-3 forfeit, Bafana Bafana drop to second place in Group C of the African qualifiers, trailing Benin on goal difference.

The South African Football Association, which still has the option to appeal to FIFA's appeals committee, must also pay a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (€10,680).

🚨🚨 𝗟𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 𝗗𝗘́𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘 𝗟’𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗤𝗨𝗘 𝗗𝗨 𝗦𝗨𝗗 🇿🇦 𝗦𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗨 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗢 🇱🇸 !

❌ 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗣𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗡 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗘𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗨 (𝗠𝗼𝗸𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗮).

Conséquence ? Défaite 3-0… pic.twitter.com/4PLg3e7VRU— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) September 29, 2025