How FIFA Allegedly Blocked Super Eagles From Playing 2026 World Cup After Protest Against DR Congo
- FIFA's legal team discovered DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had not completed his nationality switch from France before featuring in the African playoff against Nigeria
- The Nigeria Football Federation filed a complaint over DR Congo's player eligibility after the Super Eagles lost the playoff final on penalties in November 2025
- FIFA reviewed the case in March 2026 but declared Nigeria's complaint inadmissible on procedural grounds, allowing DR Congo to proceed to the intercontinental playoff
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Nigeria's painful exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has taken a new turn after investigations by The New York Times and Le Monde revealed that FIFA's own legal team found a DR Congo player ineligible during the qualification campaign against the Super Eagles.
The player at the centre of the controversy is Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, a Le Havre goalkeeper who holds both French and Congolese nationality.
Source: Getty Images
Mpasi was born in Meaux to Congolese parents and became provisionally cap-tied to France after appearing in a UEFA Under-17 European qualifier against Serbia in June 2011.
According to The New York Times, he also featured at the 2011 FIFA Under-17 World Cup for France. Although DR Congo began the process of switching his sporting nationality in 2021, FIFA's legal officials found that the process was never completed.
The 32-year-old made his DR Congo debut in February 2022 and went on to play in seven of the team's 2026 World Cup qualifiers, including the African playoff final against Nigeria in November 2025, the match that decided which team would advance to the intercontinental stage.
FIFA blocks Nigeria from 2026 World Cup
Following Nigeria's penalty shootout defeat in that playoff, the Nigeria Football Federation lodged a formal complaint over the eligibility of several DR Congo players, citing nationality concerns and passport irregularities.
FIFA's legal department, while reviewing the case, separately uncovered the issue surrounding Mpasi on March 9 and 10, 2026, just days before DR Congo were scheduled to face Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff.
Under FIFA's disciplinary regulations, fielding an ineligible player can result in a match being awarded to the opposing side by forfeit, along with financial penalties.
The report noted that FIFA lawyers also flagged the possibility of disciplinary action.
The football governing body drew up several options, which included awarding the match to Nigeria, replacing DR Congo with Nigeria in the playoff against Jamaica, imposing fines, or doing nothing if it concluded Nigeria had submitted its complaint too late.
FIFA ultimately chose the final option.
The NFF's complaint was declared inadmissible on procedural and timing grounds, and DR Congo were cleared to face Jamaica.
What this means for the Super Eagles
DR Congo went on to beat Jamaica 1-0 after extra time, with Mpasi in goal, to book their place at the 2026 World Cup.
It was their first appearance at the tournament since 1974.
The Leopards went further, reaching the round of 32 before losing to England, having drawn widespread attention following a memorable group stage display against Portugal.
Nigeria, meanwhile, missed consecutive World Cup tournaments.
The Super Eagles had battled through a difficult qualification campaign under Eric Chelle, beating Benin Republic 4-0 to reach the play-offs, then Gabon 4-1 in the semi-finals, before losing to DR Congo after Frank Onyeka's early goal was cancelled out and Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon, and Semi Ajayi all missed from the penalty spot.
FIFA rejected claims that president Gianni Infantino personally influenced the disciplinary process, insisting its judicial bodies operate independently.
The revelations nonetheless place the circumstances of Nigeria's World Cup exit under fresh and uncomfortable scrutiny.
True reason FIFA dismissed Nigeria's protest
Earlier, Legit.ng reported about why FIFA dismissed Nigeria’s protest against DR Congo over an ineligible player, despite finding the NFF’s case valid.
The decision came down to a late filing, not the player’s eligibility, and left the Super Eagles out of the 2026 World Cup.
Source: Legit.ng
