FIFA is once again embroiled in controversy.
That is after it emerged that its own lawyers concluded that DR Congo had fielded an ineligible player during their successful qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had previously represented France at youth level, and although DR Congo began the process of switching his international affiliation in 2021, but FIFA lawyers subsequently discovered that the procedure had never been completed. That meant he was not eligible to represent his adopted country.
The problem was particularly significant because Mpasi played when DR Congo eliminated Nigeria from World Cup qualifying in their African play-off final. Nigeria subsequently complained about the eligibility of several Congolese players.
FIFA rejected Nigeria’s case on procedural grounds because the complaint had been submitted too late.
However, the latest revelations suggest that FIFA subsequently established independently that there was a problem with Mpasi’s eligibility, shortly before DR Congo faced Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off.
That left FIFA with a decision to make.
Among the options reportedly considered were awarding the Nigeria match to the Super Eagles, imposing financial penalties or replacing DR Congo with Nigeria for the play-off against Jamaica. Instead, FIFA took no sporting action. DR Congo defeated Jamaica and qualified for the World Cup.
That decision looks particularly difficult to explain because FIFA has previously punished countries for similar offences.
Bolivia forfeited two matches during qualification for the 2018 World Cup after fielding an ineligible player, while Greece was also punished in 2016 after using a player whose change of association had not been completed. More recently, South Africa forfeited a 2026 World Cup qualifier after fielding a suspended player.
Nigeria is now considering seeking compensation from FIFA for the financial consequences of missing the World Cup and wants the case reopened.
Inevitably there is a Gianni Infantino connection as well. Véron Mosengo-Omba, who is a longstanding associate of the FIFA president, subsequently became president of the Congolese football federation. There is no evidence that Infantino intervened in the Mpasi decision, and FIFA maintains that he played no part in it.
Nevertheless, the episode leaves FIFA with an obvious question to answer.
If its own lawyers concluded that an ineligible player had been fielded, and its rules allowed sporting sanctions to be imposed, why was nothing done?
