{"id":29752,"date":"2025-09-18T16:10:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T14:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=29752"},"modified":"2026-03-12T09:50:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T07:50:02","slug":"fifa-opens-case-against-safa-what-it-means-for-bafana-bafana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/fifa-opens-case-against-safa-what-it-means-for-bafana-bafana\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA Opens Case Against SAFA: What It Means for Bafana Bafana\u2019s World Cup Hopes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>FIFA has officially opened a disciplinary case against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena. This follows the player\u2019s participation in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier while under suspension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mokoena-fielded-despite-suspension\">Mokoena Fielded Despite Suspension<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The controversy stems from South Africa\u2019s 2\u20130 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane on 21 March, where Mokoena featured despite being ineligible. The 28-year-old had received two yellow cards earlier in the qualifiers against Benin in November 2023 and Zimbabwe in June 2024, triggering a mandatory one-match ban under FIFA rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a letter sent to SAFA on 15 September 2025, FIFA confirmed that both the association and Mokoena face charges for breaching several disciplinary regulations, including fielding an ineligible player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-664891597\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-disciplinary-process-underway\">Disciplinary Process Underway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The case has now been referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, with SAFA and Mokoena given six days to respond. If found guilty, South Africa could be forced to forfeit the 2\u20130 win over Lesotho, awarding their opponents a 3\u20130 victory on paper. Additional sanctions, such as fines or player suspensions, could also be applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/mokoena-ineligibility-threatens-bafana-world-cup-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Teboho Mokoena\u2019s Ineligibility Threatens Bafana Bafana\u2019s World Cup Campaign<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-implications-for-world-cup-qualification\">Implications for World Cup Qualification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A potential forfeit would shake up Group D of CAF\u2019s 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Bafana Bafana, currently top of the group with 17 points, would drop to 14 points, level with Benin after eight matches. However, South Africa would retain a superior goal difference of +6, compared to Benin\u2019s +4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lesotho, meanwhile, would see their points rise from six to nine, but remain in fifth place, two points behind third-placed Nigeria and fourth-placed Rwanda, who both have 11 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coach Hugo Broos\u2019 team now faces increased pressure to secure victories over Zimbabwe and Rwanda in October to guarantee qualification. Their fate may also hinge on Benin\u2019s remaining fixtures against the Wasps and the Super Eagles.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gauteng.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-53.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-72805\" style=\"width:517px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image: SABC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-3054796037\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-safa-yet-to-comment\">SAFA Yet to Comment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>SAFA has not yet issued a public statement on the matter, leaving supporters concerned over the potential fallout. Mokoena\u2019s availability for the final qualifiers also remains uncertain, adding to the tension ahead of critical fixtures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/bafana-bafana-world-cup-dream-in-jeopardy-over-mokoena-suspension\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bafana Bafana World Cup Dream in Jeopardy Over Mokoena Suspension<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-road-to-the-2026-world-cup-intensifies\">Road to the 2026 World Cup Intensifies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sabcsport.com\/soccer\/news\/fifa-opens-case-against-safa-over-teboho-mokoena-eligibility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> disciplinary case<\/a> comes at a pivotal stage for South Africa as they aim to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010. Mokoena has been a key figure in Bafana\u2019s midfield, and any suspension could significantly impact the team\u2019s chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fans and analysts will be closely monitoring FIFA\u2019s decision, as the outcome could reshape South Africa\u2019s path to the 2026 World Cup in North America.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FIFA has officially opened a disciplinary case against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena. This follows the player\u2019s participation in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier while under suspension. Mokoena Fielded Despite Suspension The controversy stems from South Africa\u2019s 2\u20130 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane on 21 March, where<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":29754,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"FIFA has officially opened a disciplinary case against the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Bafana Bafana midfielder Teboho Mokoena. This follows...","footnotes":""},"categories":[56,64],"tags":[286,11097,11118,11108],"class_list":{"0":"post-29752","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"category-sports-news","9":"tag-bafana-bafana","10":"tag-fifa-world-cup","11":"tag-latest-football-news","12":"tag-latest-sports-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29752"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29755,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29752\/revisions\/29755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}