Nigeria: FIFA caught up in the DRC case?
Keywords : Nigeria
Meta description: After further revelations about the eligibility of a DRC player, Nigeria is considering claiming compensation from FIFA for its elimination of qualifications at the 2026 World Championship.
Nigeria did not bury its elimination of World 2026. Several months after its defeat against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country is now considering claiming financial compensation from FIFA. New revelations about the eligibility of a Congolese player are indeed reviving a case that seemed to be closed.
The Super Eagles had been eliminated by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the shootout at the African dam. The Congolese selection then won the intercontinental dam against Jamaica to win its World Championship qualification. But a new case could change the scope of this case.
The Lionel Mpasi dossier revives the controversy
According to information published by The New York Times and Le Monde, FIFA's internal documents indicate that its lawyers had identified a problem with Lionel Mpasi as early as March. The guard of the DRC, born in France and passed through the French selections of young people, would not have completed the necessary procedure to change international association.
FIFA would have allowed the DRC to continue its journey towards the World Championship. No punishment was finally imposed on the Congolese Federation.
This revelation gives Nigeria a new argument. A Nigerian National Sports Commission official told ESPN that the country was "seriously" considering claiming compensation from FIFA for the economic losses associated with its absence at the World Cup.
Nigeria highlighted the income from World Cup participation, sponsorship contracts, the international player exhibition and economic benefits for the country.
Nigeria wants to reopen the case
The Nigerian position is not limited to financial demand. Abuja also wants FIFA to review the DRC case.
The Nigerian official believes that the new information raises a broader question: how FIFA handled alerts about the eligibility of Congolese players. Nigeria now asserts its support in its initial approach and considers that the case should not be dismissed solely for procedural reasons.
However, FIFA maintains its position. The case asserts that there were no eligibility issues with respect to the DRC matches against Jamaica and at World 2026. She also recalls that Nigeria's complaint had been found inadmissible by its disciplinary commission.
So the arm is far from over. Eliminated on the ground, Nigeria now wants answers off the lawn. And with these new revelations, the DRC case might take on a new dimension.
