FIFA strips South Africa of points for fielding ineligible player, Nigeria’s World Cup hopes revived

FIFA has officially sanctioned South Africa’s Bafana Bafana for using an ineligible player during one of their World Cup qualifying fixtures.

The global football authority announced the decision in a statement on Monday.

According to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, South Africa fielded ineligible midfielder Teboho Mokoena in their Group C World Cup qualifier against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.

The panel ruled that Bafana Bafana violated “article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations”.

As a result, the committee declared that South Africa “forfeited” the fixture to Lesotho by a 3-0 margin.

This decision sees Lesotho awarded three points, while Bafana Bafana’s tally drops from 17 to 14 points. The deduction pushes them down to second place, behind Benin Republic, who are level on points but ahead on goal difference.

The ruling also boosts the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s qualification hopes, with the team now just three points behind South Africa in third place, with two matches left to play.

However, the forfeiture ruling can still be challenged before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

Group C standings after the sanction

Benin – 14 pts (+4)

South Africa – 14 pts (+3)

Nigeria – 11 pts (+2)

Rwanda – 11 pts (0)

Lesotho – 9 pts (-3)

Zimbabwe – 4 pts