Overview
- Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie issued SAFA a seven-day deadline to submit a detailed report on how Teboho Mokoena was fielded while ineligible.
- McKenzie said he has notified FIFA and CAF of his intended steps and apologised to FIFA president Gianni Infantino for the reputational damage.
- FIFA deducted three points from South Africa for using Mokoena against Lesotho in March despite a suspension for yellow-card accumulation.
- South Africa still qualified for the 2026 World Cup as group winners after beating Rwanda 3-0 and benefiting from Benin’s loss to Nigeria.
- SAFA president Danny Jordaan declared the matter closed and shifted focus to upcoming tournaments, while the minister continues to press for accountability under FIFA’s governance constraints.