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[SPORTS] · Congo - Kinshasa, Nigeria, France, Jamaica · 49 sources

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Part of situation: DR Congo football nationality switches and AFCON prep (9 clusters)

DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi eligibility scandal sparks FIFA scrutiny

Lionel Mpasi FIFA eligibility scandal 2026 World Cup qualification DR Congo football Nigeria Football Federation

Investigations by The New York Times and Le Monde have revealed that FIFA was aware that DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was ineligible during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Internal documents show that Mpasi, who previously represented France at youth levels, had not completed the necessary paperwork to switch his international allegiance to DR Congo.

Despite legal officials privately determining the breach, FIFA dismissed a formal complaint from the Nigeria Football Federation on procedural grounds, citing late submission. This decision allowed DR Congo to proceed through the intercontinental play-offs, where they defeated Jamaica to secure their first World Cup appearance in 52 years.

In response to the revelations, Nigeria's National Sports Commission is exploring options to seek compensation from FIFA for economic losses, including lost revenue from World Cup participation, sponsorship fees, and player exposure. FIFA has denied that President Gianni Infantino had any role in the decision, maintaining that its disciplinary committees act autonomously.

Entities

DR Congo · Democratic Republic of the Congo · FIFA · Gianni Infantino · Lionel Mpasi · Nigeria · Nigeria Football Federation

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Éligibilité Mpasi RDC : les questions autour de la FIFA [afrikactus.com]
Aseguran que la FIFA sabía que Lionel Mpasi no podía jugar con Congo [889noticias.mx]
FIFA faces questions over DR Congo goalkeeper’s eligibility during World Cup qualifying [maltasport.mt]
Σκάνδαλο στο Μουντιάλ με το Κονγκό: Η FIFA επέτρεψε την αντικανονική συμμετοχή παίκτη στα προκριματικά [www.athletiko.gr]
“غش وتلاعب وتستر”. . “فيفا” يكتشف شبهة تزوير ويترك منتخبًا يشق طريقه إلى المونديال [www.alrasheedmedia.com]
Report: FIFA Knew Congo Used Ineligible Player Against Nigeria - Advent Cable Network Nigeria [acnntv.com]
FIFA Knew Congo Fielded Ineligible Player Against Nigeria in 2026 World Cup Qualifier — Report [glamtush.com]
Atleta 'da França' jogou Copa por outra seleção após erro da FIFA [esportenaredemt.com.br]
Il portiere della Repubblica Democratica del Congo non era tesserabile ai Mondiali, un nuovo caso per la Fifa [www.zerounotv.it]
Nigeria weigh FIFA compensation claim over DR Congo keeper Mpasi [goalballlive.com]
Mondial 2026 : La FIFA a comploté contre le Burkina Faso pour favoriser la qualification de la République démocratique du Congo [netafrique.net]
ФИФА „испуштила“ да ги суспендира, па наместо казна - играле на Светско првенство! [www.gol.mk]
الفيفا يحسم الجدل بشأن مشاركة الكونغو الديمقراطية في تصفيات كأس العالم [www.sabaharabi.com]
Revelan supuesta alineación indebida en pleno Mundial 2026 [xeudeportes.mx]
FIFA overwoog deelnemer WK te diskwalificeren [www.voetbalbelgie.be]
FIFA, të tjera telashe për Infantino-n! Kongo në Botëror me një portier “të paligjshëm” [24-ore.com]
La FIFA de Infantino enterró un escándalo de alineación indebida de la mundialista RD Congo [www.informacion.es]
Скандал около Мондиала: ФИФА си затворила очите за нередовен вратар [petel.bg]
FIFA dementiert unerlaubte Einsätze von WM-Goalie [www.skysportaustria.at]
FIFA bị tố 'nhắm mắt' cho đại diện châu Phi dự World Cup dù sử dụng cầu thủ trái phép [soha.vn]
FIFA zu Debatte: Kongos Torwart war bei WM spielberechtigt [www.onetz.de]
Fußball: FIFA zu Debatte: Kongos Torwart war bei WM spielberechtigt [www.volksfreund.de]
Nigeria considers FIFA compensation claim after DR Congo eligibility revelations [www.adomonline.com]
NOVI SKANDAL: FIFA pre Svetskog prvenstva znala da golman Konga nema pravo nastupa za reprezentaciju [www.sd.rs]
Nigeria Mulls Demanding for Compensation from FIFA Over DR Congo’s Ineligible Goalkeeper [www.thisdaylive.com]
FIFA bajo la lupa: revelan que el arquero de RD Congo no estaba habilitado para jugar el Mundial [vanguardia.com.mx]
Afera po mundialu. FIFA miała wiedzieć o wszystkim [sportowefakty.wp.pl]
FIFA znala da Lionel Mpasi nije imao pravo nastupa u kvalifikacijama za Mundijal [www.danas.rs]
'FIFA wist dat doelman DR Congo niet speelgerechtigd was op WK' [www.vi.nl]
FIFA knew DR Congo fielded ineligible goalkeeper against Nigeria – Report [hallmarknews.com]
‘FIFA knew DR Congo used ineligible player against Nigeria in World Cup Qualifier’ — Investigation reveals [www.kemifilani.ng]
Alt abuz după „scandalul Balogun”. Ar fi jucat ilegal la Mondial! » „Infantino l-a protejat pentru realegerea sa” [www.gsp.ro]
World Cup 2026 qualifiers: FIFA declares DR Congo goalkeeper Mpasi ineligible [blueprint.ng]
Fifa sabia e deixou jogador irregular atuar nas eliminatórias e Copa do Mundo, revela jornal [www.estadao.com.br]
Нов скандал разтърси ФИФА и Инфантино: Знаели за нередовен играч, но го пуснали на Мондиала [www.actualno.com]
Unstimmigkeiten bei WM-Achtelfinalist: Fifa vertuschte wohl nächsten Skandal [www.t-online.de]
Congo had nooit mogen deelnemen aan het WK: 'FIFA was op de hoogte' [www.voetbalzone.nl]
CAF apologizes to Super Eagles, bans Guinea-Bissau stadium over poor pitch [nigerianobservernews.com]
‘FIFA Aware DR Congo Fielded Ineligible Player Against Nigeria In W/Cup Qualifier’ — New York Times Investigation Claims [www.completesports.com]
Reprezentacija koja je nastupala na SP-u nije registrirala igrača [www.telegram.hr]
Atleta 'da França' jogou Copa por outra seleção após erro da FIFA [esporte.ig.com.br]
Στο μικροσκόπιο η FIFA για το Κονγκό – Η υπόθεση Μπασί που προκαλεί ερωτήματα [www.newsbeast.gr]
Il portiere del Congo non era tesserabile ai Mondiali, un nuovo caso per la Fifa [www.italpress.com]
Fans rage as NSC ponder FIFA compensation over DR Congo breach [punchng.com]
Ronaldinho, también a los pies de Messi: "Nos hiciste sonreír y disfrutar tanto del fútbol" [www.elespectador.com]
How FIFA shielded ineligible DR Congo player in Nigeria World Cup qualifier – Report [businessday.ng]
El portero de RD Congo, rival de Colombia en el Mundial, jugó sin tener los papeles en regla [www.marca.com]
Reports: FIFA knew before World Cup that Congo goalie was ineligible in key qualifying games [www.newsday.com]
Bericht: FIFA ließ Kongo mit nicht spielberechtigtem Torwart zur WM [www.n-tv.de]