South Africa Planning Appeal on the World Cup qualifying profit stripped for non -intended player

The South African Football Association (SAFA) said that it is planning to appeal against a FIFA ruling that the national team of the gentlemen dissolved from a victory in 2026 World Cup qualified on the field of a non -intended player.

The FIFA judgment on Monday, to destroy a 2-0 win against Lesotho in March as a loss of 3-0, skipped South Africa of the top position with two more rounds in a qualification group that ends in two weeks.

Safa did not have the opportunity to attract legal arguments to the single FIFA judge who decided the case, claimed it in a statement at the end of Monday.

«As SAFA we are deeply disappointed about this unprecedented outcome,» said it, while it acknowledges that Toho Mokoena should not have played against Lesotho after he had received yellow cards in two previous matches. Two warnings activate a ban from one competition.

«We apologize to the nation for this administrative supervision and will think about the steps we have to take at the end of our qualifying campaign,» Safa added.

The professional process will overlap with its last games, against Zimbabwe on October 10 and Rwanda four days later.

Safa said that for written reasons it asked to explain the ruling and plan to submit a formal profession to FIFA within the required 10 days after obtaining the document. Another profession is possible at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Benin now leads the group on target difference, bound by points with South Africa. Nigeria and Rwanda Trail with three points and all have two games to play.

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Benin and Rwanda have never qualified for a World Cup, South Africa has not played one since the organization of the 2010 edition and Nigeria has last qualified in 2018.

Only the group winner on October 14 will continue directly to the first 48 team of World Cup, which is co-organized by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and take his place in the Tournament Motion of December 5 in Washington DC.

The second place in the group was able to continue in November to an African bracket of four teams. That will decide which African team will be played to the Intercontinental Play -offs Bracket in March in North America.

Published on September 30, 2025