‘FIFA Aware DR Congo Fielded Ineligible Player Against Nigeria In W/Cup Qualifier’ — New York Times Investigation Claims

World football governing body, FIFA, has been accused of knowing that DR Congo used an ineligible player in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

According to an investigation by New York Times published Tuesday, the player at the centre is goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, the French-born Le Havre keeper who went on to feature at the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.

Mpasi played 12 matches for France at youth level in 2010-2011. FIFA rules allow nationality switches, but only after completing formal paperwork and receiving FIFA clearance.

DR Congo never completed the naturalisation process for Mpasi, and internal documents seen by The New York Times claimed that FIFA’s own investigation confirmed he had not been properly cleared before the playoffs.

Nigeria filed a petition after losing 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the African playoff final in Rabat in November 2025. DR Congo went on to beat Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff and reached the World Cup, where they drew 1-1 with Portugal and were eliminated 2-1 by England in the Round of 32.

FIFA reportedly drew up four options after Nigeria’s complaint: award Nigeria the win, replace DR Congo with Nigeria against Jamaica, fine DR Congo, or dismiss on procedural grounds. They chose the fourth option.

Also Read: NFF To Challenge FIFA Ruling After Failed DR Congo Protest

FIFA told The New York Times that President Gianni Infantino had no influence on the decision to allow Mpasi to play, and argued that “committees are autonomous and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them”.

Crucially, the investigation stated that FIFA were aware of Mpasi’s ineligibility before he played in the final qualifying playoff win over Jamaica in March.

The report noted FIFA had previously awarded 3-0 defeats in similar cases — Greece in 2016 against Turkey and Bolivia in 2018 after fielding an ineligible player who had previously represented Paraguay.

Had it applied the same logic to DR Congo, the Leopards should have lost their World Cup playoff place, potentially opening the door for Nigeria.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had argued that DR Congo fielded several players who hold European passports, in violation of Congolese law which prohibits dual nationality. FIFA dismissed the petition saying it was filed outside the 2-hour protest window and without paying the 1,000 Swiss francs fee.

By James Agberebi

James Agberebi is a sports content creator and analyst with a passion for football and other sports. He writes sports news, match reports, and analysis to keep fans informed about the latest developments in the sporting world. James has covered international matches involving both Nigeria’s men’s and women’s national teams. His experience covering Nigerian football gives him a good understanding of the game and the teams he writes about. Through his work with Complete Sports, James shares sports updates, match coverage, and analysis with readers in Nigeria and around the world.