South Africa’s national football team, Bafana Bafana, has been dealt a significant blow in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, following a ruling from FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee. The team was docked three points for fielding midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a match against Lesotho on 21 March 2025, a decision that could jeopardize their qualification hopes.
The match, which South Africa had won, has now been awarded to Lesotho with a 3-0 scoreline, effectively removing the three points South Africa had earned from that fixture. In addition, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has been fined 10,000 Swiss Francs (approximately $12,500), while Mokoena himself has only received a warning.
This ruling has far-reaching implications for Bafana Bafana’s qualification campaign. They now sit level with Benin on 14 points, but Benin is ahead on goal difference, with only two games remaining in the group stage. Nigeria and Rwanda, who are both three points behind, are still firmly in the race. The winner of the group qualifies directly for the World Cup, while the second-place team faces a challenging playoff to secure their spot.
SAFA has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, criticizing FIFA for not giving them the chance to present legal arguments before the ruling was made. In an official statement, SAFA declared their intention to appeal the decision, calling the ruling “unprecedented” and pointing out that it was handed down by a single-member panel without any reasoning provided. The association has requested a written explanation for the judgment and intends to lodge a formal appeal within the prescribed 10-day period.
In light of this setback, SAFA is urging supporters to continue backing the team during the critical final stages of the qualifiers. They emphasized the hard work of the players and coaching staff in reaching this point and reiterated their commitment to helping the team secure the necessary points in their remaining fixtures. South Africa’s next match will be against Zimbabwe at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 October 2025, followed by a home game against Rwanda on 14 October. Both matches are must-win encounters for Bafana Bafana to maintain their World Cup aspirations.
The team’s qualification hopes rest on their performance in these crucial fixtures, while the final group standings will be influenced by results in other matches, including Benin’s trip to Rwanda and Lesotho’s clash with Nigeria.
