FIFA Knew About DR Congo Ineligible Player Scandal But Took No Action – NYT

FIFA accused of ignoring DR Congo's use of ineligible player in World Cup qualifying

FIFA is facing fresh scandal after allegations it knowingly overlooked DR Congo fielding an ineligible goalkeeper during World Cup qualifying, dismissing Nigeria's complaint on technical grounds despite being aware of the breach.

Nigeria complaint over DR Congo goalkeeper Mpasi dismissed on technicality despite FIFA knowing...

FIFA has been drawn into yet another scandal after allegedly overlooking the Democratic Republic of Congo's use of an ineligible player during World Cup qualifying.

The DR Congo is accused of fielding a goalkeeper illegally during the qualifiers, with claims that FIFA was aware of the breach but chose not to take action.

The controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup was revealed by The New York Times on Tuesday. According to the U.S. newspaper, Gianni Infantino and FIFA were aware of the irregularity committed by DR Congo during the World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Leopards secured qualification through a two-stage playoff, first in Africa with victories over Cameroon and Nigeria, and then in the intercontinental playoff where they eliminated Jamaica. Their first Group K opponents were Portugal, in a match that ended 1-1. At the heart of the controversy was the player who featured in that game: Lionel Mpasi.

According to The New York Times, following a formal complaint from Nigeria, it emerged that DR Congo had indeed fielded Mpasi illegally. The African federation had never completed the goalkeeper’s naturalisation process, despite him having previously represented France at youth level.

At the time, FIFA declined to pursue the case brought by the Super Eagles on technical grounds. However, the newspaper reports that the world governing body did not deny knowledge of the Mpasi issue. Despite this, no action was taken and the player went on to feature throughout the World Cup.

Did Infantino bend rules to allow DR Congo to play in World Cup despite FIFA ruling they had ineligible player in qualifying. Interesting by @tariqpanja https://t.co/ctn0691nlk

— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) October 6, 2026

In two comparable cases over the past decade, FIFA sanctioned national teams for fielding ineligible players by awarding defeats in the affected matches as happened to Greece in 2016 and Bolivia in 2018. Had the same principle been applied to DR Congo, the Leopards would have forfeited their World Cup playoff place, potentially clearing the path for Nigeria.

Mpasi has earned 33 caps for the Democratic Republic of Congo since making his debut in 2022. In addition to the World Cup, where the Leopards were knocked out by England in the round of 32, he also represented his country at the 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.