By Amaechi Agbo

World football governing body, FIFA has deducted three points from South Africa and annulled their World Cup qualifying victory over Lesotho after an investigation found they fielded an ineligible player in the fixture.

The investigation centred around midfielder Teboho Mokoena’s participation in the Lesotho match on March 25.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced on Monday that South Africa’s Bafana Bafana forfeited their March 21 qualifier against Lesotho for using midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who was not eligible to play. Lesotho has now been awarded a 3–0 victory.

In addition to losing the points, the South African Football Association (SAFA) was fined 10,000 Swiss Francs, while Mokoena was handed a warning.

The ruling reshuffles the Group C table. South Africa, previously clear at the top, now drops to 14 points — level with Benin. Nigeria and Rwanda follow closely with 11 points each, leaving the group wide open with just a few matches left.

For the Super Eagles, the decision provides a lifeline. Wins in their remaining games, especially against Benin and Lesotho, could push Nigeria into the top spot. Only the group winner qualifies automatically for the World Cup.

FIFA said SAFA and Mokoena have been formally notified of the ruling. Under the rules, South Africa has 10 days to request a detailed judgment, which could lead to an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Mokoena, one of South Africa’s star players, had accumulated two yellow cards in the previous qualifying games (against Benin in November 2023 and against Zimbabwe in June 2024) and, therefore, should have been ineligible for South Africa’s game against Lesotho.

However, instead of serving a one-game suspension, the 28-year-old played 82 minutes of the 2-0 victory at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

FIFA’s decision is subject to an appeal which must be filed within 10 days. It means that, for now, South Africa drop from first to second in CAF Group C, with Benin overtaking them on goal difference.

According to FIFA’s rule book, its disciplinary code says: “If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited. The default result is a 3-0 loss, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team.”

FIFA’s statement on Monday also confirmed that the South African Football Association (SAFA) has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 (£9,334.95; $12,538.63) to FIFA, while Mokoena, who plays for the Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, has been issued with a warning.

“We did something bad, we did something we shouldn’t do, but there was no complaint,” South Africa head coach Hugo Broos told reporters in September, via ESPN.

Benin were critical before the decision. Their coach, Gernot Rohr, was reported by local media to have said: “FIFA should now very quickly give the decision.”

Third-placed Nigeria, who could also benefit significantly from this decision, face Benin in Nigeria on October 14 in a game that could be decisive in terms of qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The winners of each of the nine African groups automatically qualify for the World Cup.

However, only the four best second-placed finishers (the teams with the most points who finish second across the nine groups) then get a second bite of the cherry by entering a play-off round, with only one additional nation securing a place at the tournament.

South Africa face Zimbabwe on October 10 and Rwanda on October 14, Benin face Rwanda on October 10 and Nigeria on October 14, while Nigeria face Lesotho on October 10.