South Africa’s hope of playing in the World Cup is under threat as FIFA commences disciplinary proceedings against Bafana Bafana for fielding a suspended player in their World Cup qualifier game against Lesotho in March.

FIFA, world football’s governing body, informed the South African Football Association of its disciplinary proceedings against the country’s team for fielding Teboho Mokoena in their 2-0 win over Lesotho.

Mokoena, a midfielder, played against Lesotho in the World Cup qualifier game despite a match suspension resulting from two yellow cards, a move that violated FIFA rules.

“If a team fields a player who is not eligible to participate (due to suspension, registration issues, nationality, etc.), the match is automatically forfeited. The default result is a 3-0 loss, unless the actual result was even more disadvantageous to the offending team,” FIFA’s disciplinary code reads.

South Africa sits atop Group C with 17 points. A three-point deduction would put South Africa at par with Benin on 14 points, with two games for both teams to decide who features in the World Cup.

FIFA had come under intense criticism for initially ignoring South Africa’s violation of its rules.

South Africa is not the first to lose points for violating FIFA rules by fielding an ineligible player in World Cup qualification.

FIFA awarded Algeria all three points against Nigeria after the Super Eagles fielded ineligible Shehu Abdullahi, who failed to serve a one-match suspension over two yellow cards, in a qualifier game that ended in a 1–1 draw in 2018. However, Nigeria managed to qualify for the World Cup, finishing at the top of the group.

In 2014, the Cape Verde Islands lost out on a playoff spot for fielding suspended Fernando Varela in their game against Tunisia.