FIFA has sanctioned South Africa’s Bafana Bafana for fielding an ineligible player in a World Cup qualifying match, handing a major boost to Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

In a statement issued on Monday, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirmed that midfielder Teboho Mokoena was ineligible to play in South Africa’s Group C clash against Lesotho on March 21, 2025.

The panel ruled that South Africa breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition Regulations.

As punishment, FIFA awarded Lesotho a 3–0 victory, overturning the original result. The decision strips Bafana Bafana of three points, cutting their tally from 17 to 14 at the top of the group.

The ruling has thrown the group wide open, with Nigeria now just three points behind South Africa in third place and two games still to play.