October 8, 2026
A joint press investigation conducted by the New York Times and Le Monde newspapers sparked widespread controversy over the legality of the participation of Lionel Mbassi, the goalkeeper of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the 2026 World Cup finals, amid accusations directed at FIFA of neglecting to complete the necessary legal procedures to change the international association of the French-born goalkeeper, who previously represented the Sunni groups of the French national team.
According to the investigation, FIFA officials were aware that Mbasi had not officially completed the procedures to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo national team, before playing the World Cup qualifying match against Jamaica, without the International Federation taking any steps to prevent his participation.
The roots of the crisis go back to an official complaint filed by the Nigerian Football Association, following its team’s loss on penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoff, a result that gave Congo the right to face Jamaica in the decisive playoff. Reports indicated that the relevant FIFA committees discussed several options for dealing with the file, including the possibility of excluding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, before a decision was taken to reject the Nigerian complaint for procedural reasons.
On the other hand, FIFA issued a response in which it denied the presence of any legal violations related to Mbasi’s eligibility in his match against Jamaica or in the World Cup finals, stressing that the Disciplinary Committee studied the Nigerian complaint and decided to reject it categorically. The International Federation also stressed the independence of its committees, completely denying any interference by its president, Gianni Infantino, in this decision.
It is noteworthy that the Democratic Republic of the Congo national team had secured its place in the 2026 World Cup after defeating Jamaica with a clean goal, before exiting the tournament in the round of 32 after losing to England by a score of 2-1. This case once again shed light on the efficiency of oversight mechanisms and the application of player eligibility regulations, amid a wide gap between what media investigations revealed and the official position of the International Federation.
