Super Eagles: Ineligible DR Congo goalkeeper puts Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers in spotlight

The Super Eagles of Nigeria came under fire for their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the situation could have easily turned out differently.

The three-time African Champions started the qualification process on a poor note, failing to secure a victory under former coaches Jose Peseiro and Finidi George.

Eric Chelle came in to steady the ship, a task that seemed almost impossible. The Franco-Malian tactician steered Nigeria to the finish line with a 4-0 win over Benin Republic in the final group game to secure a play-off spot.

Nigeria cruised past Gabon in the semi-final in a 4-1 win, but fell short against DR Congo. Frank Onyeka broke the deadlock after just three minutes before Meschack Elia scored the equaliser shortly after the half-hour mark.

Both sides couldn't be separated after 120 minutes, and the game went to penalties. Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi all missed from 12 yards, sending DR Congo to the International play-offs where they defeated Jamaica to seal a World Cup.

DR Congo fielded an ineligible player against Nigeria

According to an investigation by The New York Times and Le Monde, FIFA officials discovered that Le Havre goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau had not completed the required process to switch his international allegiance from France to DR Congo before representing the Leopards.

Mpasi represented France at youth level, including at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Although DR Congo began the process of securing his change of association in 2021, FIFA’s legal officials revealed that the process was never completed.

The 32-year-old made his DR Congo debut in February 2022 and featured in seven of the team’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers, including the decisive African playoff against Nigeria in November 2025.

FIFA discovered Mpasi’s ineligibility

The latest revelation is significant because the Nigerian Football Federation already challenged DR Congo’s eligibility following the Super Eagles’ defeat in the playoff final.

FIFA's legal department uncovered a separate issue involving Mpasi while reviewing the case in March 2026.

Le Monde reports that FIFA lawyers carried out further checks on March 9 and 10, shortly before DR Congo were due to face Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff.

Their findings established that Mpasi’s change of association wasn't completed, despite the Congolese federation having initiated the process years earlier.

Under FIFA’s disciplinary regulations, the use of an ineligible player can result in a match being awarded to the opposing team by forfeit, alongside a financial penalty. The report revealed FIFA’s lawyers also highlighted the possibility of disciplinary action being taken.

Despite that, FIFA did not sanction DR Congo before the Leopards faced Jamaica.

Instead, Nigeria’s complaint was declared inadmissible on procedural and timing grounds. FIFA confirmed that its disciplinary committee had examined the NFF’s complaint and that the decision was communicated in March.

The organisation drew up possible options, including awarding the match to Nigeria, imposing fines, replacing Congo with Nigeria in the playoff against Jamaica, or doing nothing on the grounds that Nigeria had filed its complaint late.

What the update means for the Super Eagles

The timing of the discovery is what makes the development important for the Super Eagles. Had FIFA acted on the reported eligibility issue before the intercontinental playoff, DR Congo’s participation in that stage of the qualification process could have been affected, possibly nullified.

The Leopards eventually defeated Jamaica and secured their first World Cup appearance since 1974, while Nigeria were left out of the tournament to rue consecutive Copa Mundial misses.

DR Congo went on to become fan favourites in the tournament, putting themselves on the World map following their opening group game against Portugal. They reached the round of 32 before they were knocked out by England.

FIFA, however, rejected suggestions that its president Gianni Infantino personally intervened in the disciplinary process. The governing body maintains that its judicial bodies are autonomous and that it dismissed Nigeria’s complaint as inadmissible under the applicable rules.

The fresh investigation now puts the circumstances surrounding the Super Eagles’ elimination back under intense scrutiny.

It also offers a different perspective on the NFF’s decision to challenge DR Congo’s eligibility in the first place, with the latest findings suggesting that at least one of the players involved in the qualification campaign had an unresolved change-of-association issue.

For Nigeria, the revelation is another painful reminder of how close the Super Eagles came to the 2026 World Cup.