SAFA finally admits it GOOFED after FIFA decision to deduct Bafana World Cup points over ineligible player

The South African Football Association has openly admitted it goofed after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee ruled against Bafana Bafana in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.

The decision has left South African football fans both disappointed and angry as it dents the team’s qualifying hopes.

FIFA confirmed that South Africa had fielded an ineligible player, midfielder Teboho Mokoena, in the match played on 21 March 2025. As a result, the global body declared the game forfeited by South Africa, awarding Lesotho a 3-0 win. Alongside the reversal of the result, SAFA was hit with a CHF 10,000 fine, while Mokoena himself received a warning.

The governing body did not attempt to deflect blame and instead acknowledged the error in a public statement on Monday night. “We apologise to the nation for this administrative oversight and will reflect on the steps to take at the conclusion of our qualifying campaign,” SAFA admitted.

For many South Africans, the statement was too little, too late. Supporters have flooded social media platforms with criticism, accusing the administrators of negligence at a time when Bafana Bafana appeared to be building momentum on the road to the 2026 World Cup. The deduction of points has now created a serious obstacle in what is already a fiercely competitive qualifying group.

The timing of the sanction could not be worse. Just as fans were beginning to believe in the team’s resurgence under coach Hugo Broos, they are forced to deal with a setback entirely unrelated to on-field performance. Analysts warn that this kind of administrative slip not only undermines the players’ hard work but also risks eroding public trust in SAFA’s leadership.

Bafana Bafana, however, must quickly turn the page and focus on what lies ahead. Their next assignment is against Zimbabwe at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 10 October 2025, followed by a crucial tie with Rwanda at the Mbombela Stadium four days later. Both matches are now being described as must-wins to keep South Africa’s dream of returning to the global stage alive.

The Group C table now tells a different story. South Africa, once leading the pack, has slipped to second with 14 points. Benin leapfrogs them into first with the same points tally but a superior goal difference of plus four. Nigeria lurks in third with 11 points, closely followed by Rwanda, also on 11. Lesotho, reinvigorated by the FIFA ruling, sits fifth on 9 points, while Zimbabwe trails at the bottom with 4.