Mamelodi Sundowns Trio Secure FIFA Benefits Clearance Before Challenger Cup
- FIFA confirmed that yellow cards received by 3 Mamelodi Sundowns players against Al Ahli will be cancelled before the Challenger Cup
- Teboho Mokoena, Nuno Santos, and Brayan Leon were all cautioned in the African-Asian-Pacific Cup final
- Article 8.3 of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026 Regulations sets out exactly when those cautions will be wiped
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Mamelodi Sundowns will head into the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026 Challenger Cup free of yellow card concerns, after FIFA confirmed that cautions picked up by three of the club's players will be cancelled before their next fixture.
Teboho Mokoena, Nuno Santos, and Brayan Leon each received a yellow card during Sundowns' African-Asian-Pacific Cup victory over Al Ahli. Under Article 8.3 of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026 Regulations, single yellow cards are cancelled after Match 3 of the competition, meaning all three cautions will be wiped ahead of the Brazilians' Challenger Cup appearance.
Sundowns Also Avoid Heavy Fine
The trio's bookings in the Al Ahli match carried an additional financial risk. According to the FIFA Legal Handbook September 2026 edition, a team whose players collectively receive five or more yellow cards in a single match faces a fine of USD 10,000 (approximately R164,000) per yellow card. Sundowns avoided that threshold.
Mokoena and Leon also had separate yellow card warnings carried over from the CAF Champions League, but those were similarly cleared.
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FIFA's regulations specify that single yellow cards and pending suspensions that could not be served during a confederation's competition are not transferred to the Intercontinental Cup 2026.
Sundowns Face Derby of the Americas Winner
Match 3 of the tournament is the Derby of the Americas, pitting CONCACAF champions Toluca FC against the Copa Libertadores winners. That South American competition is currently at the semi-final stage, with SE Palmeiras, CR Flamengo, Fluminense FC, and Estudiantes de La Plata still in contention.
Estudiantes drew at home against Flamengo in the first leg, while Palmeiras beat Fluminense 2-1 in their opening encounter. The Copa Libertadores final is scheduled for 28 November in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Sundowns will then face the Derby of the Americas winner in Match 4, the Challenger Cup. The Challenger Cup winner will subsequently meet UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the tournament final.
Matches 3, 4, and 5 are all set to be played at neutral venues in December, with Qatar the likely host.
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Source: Briefly News
