2026 WCQ: South Africa Trails To Second Place After 3-point Deduction by FIFA
South Africa has lost its lead in Group B of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers to Benin after FIFA deducted three points from its total points.
The deduction forms part of the football governing body’s sanction after the South African Football Association (SAFA) fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa v. Lesotho match played on 21 March 2025.
Their action, FIFA said, breached 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.
SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA, while Teboho Mokoena has been issued a warning.
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.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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