Fresh reports from ESPN and NY Times have confirmed that FIFA had indeed found DR Congo guilty of fielding an ineligible player in the World Cup playoff fixture against Nigeria.
Fresh controversy has emerged over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after reports revealed that FIFA’s own legal officials determined that DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was ineligible to represent the country during the qualifying campaign.
Investigations by The New York Times and Le Monde, based on internal FIFA documents, reported that the governing body’s lawyers discovered in March 2026 that Mpasi had not completed the required process to switch his international association from France to DR Congo.
Mpasi had previously represented France at youth level, meaning he needed FIFA approval to complete his change of association before becoming eligible to play competitively for DR Congo. According to the reports, that process, which began in 2021, was never formally completed.
Despite that, the goalkeeper featured for DR Congo during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, including the decisive African playoff against Nigeria.
Nigeria and DR Congo played out a 1-1 draw after extra time before the Leopards won 4-3 on penalties, ending the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the World Cup.
The latest revelations have now renewed questions over that result, particularly because FIFA’s legal team reportedly became aware of Mpasi’s eligibility problem before DR Congo’s subsequent intercontinental playoff against Jamaica. Reports say possible disciplinary measures were considered, but no sanction was imposed.
DR Congo went on to defeat Jamaica and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria had already raised concerns about the eligibility of DR Congo players following their playoff defeat, although the Nigerian Football Federation’s original complaint centred more broadly on questions surrounding the nationality status of several Congolese players.
A senior official of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission has now said the latest findings vindicate Nigeria’s position.
“I think this has proven that we were correct that DRC fielded ineligible players,” the official told ESPN.
The NSC official added that Nigeria is considering asking FIFA to reopen the matter and could also seek financial compensation over the country’s failure to participate at the World Cup.
Nigeria believes the financial impact stretches beyond the national team, including lost FIFA participation revenue, sponsorship opportunities, player exposure and wider economic benefits connected to appearing at football’s biggest tournament.
There is precedent for FIFA compensating a football association following a disputed World Cup elimination. FIFA previously paid the Football Association of Ireland €5 million following Ireland’s controversial defeat to France in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, although the circumstances of that case were significantly different.
The Mpasi case could now place further pressure on FIFA to explain why no disciplinary action was taken despite its legal officials reportedly establishing that the goalkeeper’s change of association had not been completed.
For Nigeria, the revelations have reopened a qualification controversy months after the Super Eagles’ World Cup hopes appeared to have ended.