World Cup 2026 (Q): South Africa challenges forfeit defeat and prepares FIFA appeal | OneFootball

World Cup 2026 (Q): South Africa challenges forfeit defeat and prepares FIFA appeal

The South African Football Association responded on Monday, September 29, to FIFA's decision to overturn the Bafana Bafana's victory against Lesotho. The national body announced its intention to lodge an appeal within the regulatory timeframe.

A sanction that shakes up the standings

South Africa lost by forfeit the match they had won 2-0 against Lesotho on March 25. FIFA awarded a 3-0 victory to Lesotho, citing the participation of Teboho Mokoena, who was suspended due to card accumulation.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for fielding an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, during the South Africa - Lesotho match played on March 21, 2025, as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ preliminary competition, thereby breaching Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Preliminary Competition Regulations."

This decision has reshuffled the standings in Group C, where Benin now sits at the top thanks to a superior goal difference. Nigeria and Rwanda, now three points adrift of the summit, still have hopes of qualification. The final two matchdays, scheduled for October, promise to be decisive for all contenders.

SAFA lodges a protest

The South African Federation voiced its disagreement with the verdict, which was delivered by a single-member panel without written justification. It has requested the official reasoning and plans to file an appeal with FIFA's Appeals Committee within the allotted ten-day period.

"As SAFA, we are deeply disappointed by this unprecedented decision, especially as it was handed down by a panel consisting of only one member, without justification and without giving the Association the opportunity to present its legal arguments. The Association confirms it has requested the written grounds for this decision and intends to lodge a formal appeal with the FIFA Appeals Committee within the prescribed 10-day period set by the FIFA Disciplinary Regulations," stated the South African federation.

Despite the situation, SAFA has reaffirmed its commitment to Bafana Bafana and its qualification goal. The association has called on supporters to rally behind the team in the next two fixtures: against Zimbabwe on October 10 in Durban, and then against Rwanda on October 14 in Mbombela. Both matches will kick off at 18:00.