By Ben Efe 6.10.2026
Nigeria’s Super Eagles should have played at the 2026 World Cup based on their petition against Congo DR fielding an ineligible player during the CAF playoff qualifiers.
But according to reports by the New York Times on Tuesday, FIFA knew that Nigeria’s petition had a good chance but chose to look the other way and allowed Congo DR Leopards to advance to the World Cup hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Congo DR goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had not completed his international switch having represented France in the age-grade teams. Mpasi’s approval to represent Congo DR was still pending when he participated in the qualifiers.
Nigeria and Congo DR had played in the final of the CAF play-offs held in Morocco in November 2025. The game ended in a shootout and the Nigeria Football Federation felt it had a good case to win in the boardroom.
However, according to New York Times investigation FIFA failed to act on the petition due to the influence of Véron Mosengo-Omba, who is a close pal of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Mosengo-Omba later became the Congo DR football federation president based on the Leopards’ qualification for the World Cup.
Documents and correspondence reviewed by The New York Times, alongside information from a senior official directly involved in the case, showed that FIFA officials had considered several possible sanctions against Congo, including awarding the match to Nigeria, imposing fines, replacing Congo with Nigeria in the play-off against Jamaica or taking no action on the grounds that Nigeria had filed its complaint late.
Reacting to the development former NFF president Ibrahim Gusau who lost his position because Nigeria failed to qualify for the FIFA men and women World Cups 2026, 2027 respectively, told the New York Times that FIFA should be investigated.
“They just kept quiet, and they can’t tell anyone because they know it’s going to be a serious crisis for them.”
NSC and NFF officials visiting Infantino in Zurich...they never knew he did them in.