Sports lawyer and administrator Raymond Hack has expressed surprise at FIFA’s silence over South Africa’s use of an ineligible player during the ongoing 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who should have been suspended due to yellow card accumulation, featured in South Africa’s March victory over Lesotho, sparking calls for sanctions.

Hack explained that under FIFA rules, fielding an ineligible player usually leads to automatic sanctions: a fine, forfeiture of points, and a 3–0 loss awarded to the opposing team. However, he noted that FIFA may be delaying action because Lesotho did not file an official protest after the match.

“The strange thing is no decision has come from FIFA yet. Normally, the rules are clear — if a suspended player takes part, the team forfeits the match and pays a fine. But in this case, Lesotho didn’t protest, which may be why the disciplinary committee is treating it differently,” Hack told Super Sports.

He stressed that even without a protest, the rules are still binding, comparing the situation to a crime discovered later.

Hack also recalled a recent case in England involving Manchester United and Grimsby, where a decision on an ineligible player was taken within four days, highlighting how unusual FIFA’s silence is.

If South Africa is eventually punished, they could lose three crucial points in Group C, which features Nigeria, Benin Republic, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho — a development that could reshape the qualification race.