SAFA vows appeal against FIFA points deduction for Bafana

The South African Football Association (SAFA) has responded with immediate intent to appeal an “unprecedented” ruling by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee to deduct three points from Bafana Bafana in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.

The deduction comes after the national team fielded the suspended midfielder Teboho Mokoena in a qualifier against Lesotho in March.

The Ruling and SAFA’s Reaction

The association acknowledged the ruling, which officially confirmed a 3-0 forfeiture of the match to Lesotho. This decision sees Bafana Bafana slip from first to second place in Group C, now trailing Benin. In addition to the loss of points, SAFA has been hit with a CHF 10,000 fine, while Mokoena himself received a warning.

In a strongly worded statement on Monday, SAFA expressed its profound disappointment, highlighting that the decision was delivered by a “single-member panel without reasons,” and critically, “without affording the Association an opportunity to present legal arguments.”

SAFA confirmed that it has formally requested the written reasons for the judgment and has committed to lodging a formal appeal with the FIFA Appeals Committee within the prescribed 10-day period.

Despite the administrative setback, the football association emphasised its unwavering support for the team’s qualification efforts. “The players and the technical team have worked extremely hard to reach this stage, and we remain focused on ensuring they secure maximum points in the matches ahead,” the statement read.

SAFA issued an apology to the nation for the oversight, stating it will “reflect on the steps to take at the conclusion of our qualifying campaign,” and called on all South Africans to “rally behind the team” as they continue their push for the World Cup.