South Africa stripped of win in World Cup qualifying for ineligible player and loses group lead

By Canadian Press on September 29, 2025.

ZURICH (AP) — South Africa was stripped by FIFA on Monday of a win in 2026 World Cup qualifying and lost top spot in its group for fielding an ineligible player.

FIFA’s disciplinary ruling overturned a South Africa win against Lesotho in March, left Benin top with two rounds to go and gave Nigeria fresh hope of advancing to the finals tournament.

Only the group winner on Oct. 14 will advance direct to the World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. South Africa has not played at a World Cup since hosting the 2010 edition.

Ahead of decisive qualifying games resuming next week, FIFA said its disciplinary judges ordered South Africa to forfeit as a 3-0 loss what had been a 2-0 victory over Lesotho.

South Africa selected Teboho Mokoena for the game in Polokwane when the midfielder should have served a one-game ban for getting yellow cards in two previous qualifying games.

The administrative error is embarrassing for South Africa as its top soccer official, Patrice Motsepe, is a FIFA vice president as the elected leader of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Motsepe also owns the Mamelodi Sundowns club that Mokoena plays for.

Benin rises in four-team race

Without the three points, plus a negative five-goal swing in its goal difference, South Africa drops below new group leader Benin. The teams are tied on points, both three clear of Nigeria and Rwanda, but Benin’s goal difference is one better than South Africa.

South Africa completes the qualifying group against Zimbabwe on Oct. 10 and at home to Rwanda four days later. Zimbabwe’s “home” game is being played in South Africa, at Durban, because it does not have a national stadium that meets CAF standards.

Benin plays at Rwanda on Oct. 10 and then goes to Nigeria, which aims to qualify for its seventh World Cup and first since 2018 in Russia. Nigeria also has to play Lesotho.

The runner-up in the group could advance to a four-team African playoffs bracket in November. That will decide which African team advances to the inter-continental playoffs in March at venues to be agreed in north America.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press