The South African Football Association (SAFA) announced that the FIFA Appeal Committee dismissed its appeal against Themba Zwane’s three-match suspension.
The 36-year-old attacking midfielder is serving a three-match suspension handed down by the FIFA disciplinary committee following the red card he received last week in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening game against tournament co-hosts Mexico.
“We are disappointed with the outcome of our appeal because we strongly believe that the punishment is far harsher than the offense that Themba is said to have committed,” SAFA said in a statement.
Zwane will serve his final match on the sidelines when Bafana Bafana face co-hosts Canada in the Last 32 in Los Angeles on Sunday.
However, the good news for coach Hugo Broos’ side is that star midfielder Teboho Mokoena returns to the selection fold after serving a one-match suspension during the game against South Korea.
Bafana will return to their base camp in Pachuca, Mexico, this morning before heading to Los Angeles, USA, ahead of the Last 32 showdown against Canada.
