The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was aware that the Democratic Republic of Congo had fielded an ineligible player during its 2026 World Cup qualification campaign but allowed the team to continue, according to an investigation by The New York Times.
The report, published on Tuesday, said FIFA’s legal officials had privately determined that Congo breached player eligibility rules involving goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
Mpasi had previously represented France at youth level and was required to complete documentation to switch his international allegiance before representing Congo.
Despite the concerns over his eligibility, FIFA allowed the goalkeeper to continue playing for Congo, which later defeated Jamaica in March to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The revelation has renewed questions over FIFA’s handling of Nigeria’s complaint against Congo following the Super Eagles’ defeat to the Central African side in the African play-off final in November 2025.
Nigeria’s loss denied the Super Eagles a place at the World Cup for a second consecutive edition, having also missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The Nigeria Football Federation filed a complaint with FIFA in December 2025, challenging the eligibility of several Congo players, including Mpasi.
According to The New York Times, documents and correspondence reviewed by the newspaper showed that FIFA officials considered several possible sanctions against Congo. These included awarding the match to Nigeria, imposing a fine, replacing Congo with Nigeria in the play-off against Jamaica, or taking no action on the grounds that Nigeria’s complaint was filed late.
Under FIFA regulations, fielding an ineligible player can result in a team forfeiting the match in which the player featured.
FIFA has previously imposed such sanctions. In 2016, Greece was punished after fielding an ineligible player who had previously represented Australia at youth level, while Bolivia had two World Cup qualifying results changed in 2018 after it was found to have used an ineligible player.
Former NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau said he was informed that Nigeria’s complaint had been rejected on technical grounds but was not told that FIFA had identified an eligibility issue involving Mpasi.
“They just kept quiet, and they can’t tell anyone because they know it’s going to be a serious crisis for them,” Gusau told The New York Times, while calling for an investigation.
The report also raised questions about FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s relationship with African football officials, particularly Véron Mosengo-Omba, who was preparing to contest for the presidency of the Congolese football federation while FIFA was reviewing the eligibility case.
Mosengo-Omba later emerged as the sole candidate and was elected president after other contenders withdrew or were disqualified following changes to the federation’s eligibility rules.
However, Mosengo-Omba said he was unaware of FIFA’s findings concerning Mpasi’s eligibility.
The revelations have also drawn attention from CONCACAF, which said concerns over player eligibility must be properly investigated where they could affect the integrity of a competition or the interests of member associations.
