THE DREAM FOR NIGERIA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP HAS BEEN REIGNITED, AFTER FIFA SANCTIONED SOUTH AFRICA. (PHOTO).

Updated CAF Group C Standings After South Africa's Forfeit to Lesotho

1  Benin              14

2  South Africa    14

3   Nigeria          11

4   Rwanda        11

5   Lesotho         9 

6   Zimbabwe    4

The dream for Nigeria to participate in the 2026 World Cup has been reignited.

PRESS RELEASE

FIFA Disciplinary Committee sanctions South African Football Association The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the South African Football Association (SAFA) for having fielded an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in the South Africa v. Lesotho match played on 21 March 2025 in the FIFA World Cup 2026T™ preliminary competition, thereby breaching article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) and article 14 of the FIFA World Cup 2026TM Preliminary Competition Regulations. 

Consequently, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has declared the match in question to have been forfeited by the representative team of South Africa by a score of 3-0. SAFA has also been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 10,000 to FIFA, while Teboho Mokoena has been issued with a warning. 

The parties were notified of the terms of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision today. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the FDC, they have ten days in which to request a motivated decision, which, if requested, would subsequently be published on legal.fifa.c om. The forfeiture decision remains subject to a potential appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee.