SOUTH Africa risks three-points deduction in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers campaign for allegedly fielding an ineligible player in their fixture against Lesotho.
Teboho Mokoena, a midfielder, who was suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, was fielded.
FIFA rules could see them forfeit the match and hurt their World Cup hopes. South Africa won the match played last Friday 2-0.
Mokoena was booked in South Africa’s opening qualifier against Benin Republic (Match Day 1) and picked up another caution against Zimbabwe (Match Day 4). Despite this, he featured for 81 minutes in the Match Day 5 encounter with Lesotho, a potential breach of FIFA regulations (which states that a player who receives two yellow cards in separate matches must serve a one-match suspension).
Although, this suspension rule has always been applied to the standard six-game format and if it is confirmed to hold for the current ten-game qualification format, South Africa could face a three-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.
Eighteen-Eleven Media