World football governing body FIFA has officially opened disciplinary proceedings against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena.
This comes after Mokoena was fielded in South Africa’s 2–0 victory over Lesotho on March 21 in Polokwane, despite being under suspension. The case has now been referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, with both SAFA and Mokoena given six days to submit their formal responses.
If found guilty, Bafana Bafana could be forced to forfeit the result, with the match awarded as a 3–0 victory to Lesotho. Additional sanctions, including fines or further suspensions, could also be imposed.
The development casts a shadow over South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, as the potential loss of three points could have serious implications for their hopes of reaching the finals.
As of now, SAFA has not issued an official statement on the matter, but pressure is mounting for the association to clarify how the oversight occurred.
This case will be closely watched across the continent, as the outcome could significantly alter the complexion of Group standings in the ongoing qualifiers.
