FIFA’s legal team reportedly found Democratic Republic of Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi ineligible to represent the country during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, including the decisive encounter against Nigeria, according to investigations by Le Monde and The New York Times.
The revelation has reopened the controversy surrounding Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after the Super Eagles lost to DR Congo on penalties in the African playoff final in November 2025.
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According to documents reviewed by Le Monde, FIFA lawyers established in March 2026 that Mpasi’s switch of international association from France to DR Congo had never been completed.
Mpasi, who holds French and Congolese nationality, was born in Meaux, France, to Congolese parents.
He had previously represented France at youth level, which meant that a formal change of association was required before he could represent DR Congo.
The process was reportedly initiated by the Congolese football federation in 2021, but FIFA’s legal officials later concluded that it had not been completed. Mpasi nevertheless went on to play for DR Congo in the World Cup qualifiers.
The issue became particularly significant because Mpasi was involved in the qualifying campaign that ended with DR Congo defeating Nigeria in the African playoff final.
The Super Eagles had been seeking a route to the intercontinental playoff after missing automatic qualification.
DR Congo eventually won the tie against Nigeria on penalties after a 1-1 draw, earning the right to face Jamaica for a place at the World Cup.
Nigeria had already challenged the eligibility of several DR Congo players.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, filed a complaint with FIFA on November 28, 2025, asking the world governing body to investigate alleged eligibility and nationality irregularities involving Congolese players. FIFA later declared the complaint inadmissible on formal grounds.
FIFA has maintained that its disciplinary bodies acted within the applicable regulations.
In a response cited by Le Monde, FIFA said its disciplinary committee had examined a complaint from the NFF and declared it inadmissible.
The decision was reportedly communicated to the Nigerian federation in early March 2026 and became final after no valid appeal was lodged.
However, the documents examined by Le Monde indicate that FIFA’s own legal officials had separately identified Mpasi’s eligibility problem.
The lawyers reportedly warned that his participation could have consequences for the African qualifying pathway and considered possible disciplinary measures, including action against the Congolese federation and the goalkeeper.
The internal assessment reportedly noted that the use of an ineligible player could have affected the entire qualification route in the African zone.
Under FIFA’s disciplinary framework, the use of an ineligible player can result in a forfeited match and a fine, depending on the circumstances and the applicable procedures. FIFA has previously imposed sporting sanctions in comparable eligibility cases.
Despite the concerns raised internally, no disciplinary sanction was imposed on DR Congo that prevented the team from continuing its campaign.
The Leopards went on to face Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff and secured a 1-0 victory after extra time, completing their qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Mpasi subsequently featured for DR Congo at the World Cup itself. FIFA’s own tournament coverage identified him as the goalkeeper who started against Colombia in the group stage, where his saves kept the Congolese side in the contest before Colombia won 1-0.
The goalkeeper’s involvement in the tournament has added to the significance of the eligibility controversy, particularly in Nigeria, where the NFF had already raised concerns over DR Congo’s players.
The case has also prompted fresh questions about the consistency of FIFA’s disciplinary procedures and how eligibility complaints are handled.
Neither the NFF nor the Congolese football federation has, in the reports reviewed, secured a reversal of the outcome.
FIFA has rejected suggestions that its president, Gianni Infantino, interfered in the judicial process, insisting that its judicial bodies operate independently and determine cases according to the relevant regulations and facts.
For Nigeria, the revelation is significant because the Super Eagles’ defeat to DR Congo was the final competitive hurdle before the intercontinental playoff route.
The findings do not, by themselves, alter the result of the 2025 playoff or restore Nigeria’s World Cup place. FIFA’s position remains that the NFF complaint was inadmissible and that the decision became binding.
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But the disclosure that FIFA lawyers later identified an eligibility problem involving a player used by DR Congo has placed the circumstances surrounding Nigeria’s elimination under renewed scrutiny.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
