South Africa's Themba Zwane was shown a red card in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Mexico. | Photo Credit: AP

South Africa midfielder Themba Zwane has had his suspension after being ​sent off in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Mexico ‌last Thursday extended to a three-match ban, ​FIFA said on Wednesday.

Zwane was dismissed ⁠for striking defender Roberto Alvarado’s face late in the game, which Mexico won 2-0 at the Azteca Stadium. South ‌Africa finished the match down to nine men after midfielder Sphephelo Sithole had been ‌dismissed earlier.

The 36-year-old Zwane, who had come ‌on ⁠as a substitute just over 20 minutes ⁠before, looked bemused after being red-carded by Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio, having tried to get past Alvarado on the edge of ​the Mexico box. ‌The two made contact before Zwane’s hand struck Alvarado in the face.

After the match, South Africa coach Hugo Broos said he could accept the ‌sending off of Sithole, who denied a goalscoring ​chance to Mexico on the edge of the area, but thought Zwane’s dismissal ⁠was contentious.

“The second red card we can discuss,” Broos said at the post-match press conference. “It was the ‌Mexican player who was blocking my player. But it’s the position of the referee, and we have to accept it also, but I think it was too soft to give that as a red card.

ALSO READ | Elye Wahi faces investigation over alleged fixing before Ivory Coast campaign

“The first red card, you have ‌to accept it. Their player was going alone to the ​goal and Yaya (Sithole) fouled him, so that I can understand.”

Dismissals at the World Cup ⁠earn the offender an automatic one-match ban, but in ⁠the case of foul play it can be extended by the FIFA disciplinary committee.

South Africa, ‌which plays the Czech Republic in Atlanta on Thursday in their second Group A game, ​can appeal, FIFA said.

Published on Jun 17, 2026