The DR Congo goalkeeper who played at the finals in North America was found by FIFA’s own lawyers to be ineligible months before the tournament, according to investigations by the New York Times and Le Monde that surfaced this week.

Lionel Mpasi held dual French-Congolese nationality and had represented France at youth level. He had never completed the paperwork to switch his international affiliation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo after starting the process in 2021. FIFA’s legal team flagged the problem in March 2026, with the intercontinental play-off against Jamaica days away.

The lawyers set out their options. According to reporting on the leaked documents, they advised a range of possible sanctions, including disqualifying DR Congo from the intercontinental play-off against Jamaica later that month and banning Mpasi.

FIFA did not act on any of them. Nigeria’s complaint, filed the previous November after a penalty-shootout defeat to DR Congo in the African play-off final, was dismissed on procedural and timing grounds. Mpasi kept his place, DR Congo beat Jamaica by a single goal in extra time, and the country qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years.

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FIFA denies Infantino intervened

The question is no longer confined to the technical ruling. It now sits with Infantino himself. FIFA has denied any intervention by its president and insisted the organisation’s judicial bodies acted independently.

That denial lands at the end of a politically bruising summer. Infantino had already come under sustained pressure after Donald Trump publicly confirmed calling him to request a review of the red card suspension handed to USA striker Folarin Balogun during the tournament. The ban was lifted, and Balogun played against Belgium in the Round of 16.

CONCACAF, the confederation representing Jamaica, said it “expects the applicable regulations and procedures to be applied consistently and fairly in all competitions”.

Article 19 and two precedents

Under Article 19 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, a team fielding an ineligible player faces a forfeit result and a financial penalty when a breach is substantiated by complaint.

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The record shows FIFA has gone that route before. Greece were handed a 3-0 defeat in 2016 after fielding a player with Australia youth caps, and Bolivia’s results in a 2018 qualifying cycle were altered after an ineligible Paraguayan international was identified.

Neither consequence applied to DR Congo, who went on to deliver one of the standout upsets of the tournament. Mpasi himself produced a string of outstanding saves against England in the Round of 32 in Atlanta on 1 July, before Harry Kane’s late brace sealed a 2-1 England win and ended his team’s run.

Nigeria wants the file reopened

Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the former Nigeria Football Federation president, has said officials were told only about the technical dismissal of the complaint and were never informed of FIFA’s internal finding that Mpasi was ineligible. FIFA has not announced any review of the decision.

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