FIFA's legal department has found that DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi had not formally completed his switch of sporting nationality from France when he played against Nigeria in the African World Cup qualifying play-off final in Rabat last November. DR Congo won that match 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, a result that sent them into the intercontinental play-off, where they went on to secure their place at the World Cup. The investigation showed that the legal process, begun in 2021, was never officially approved by FIFA, calling the results into question.
An official from Nigeria's National Sports Commission said the finding fully vindicated their position and called on football's world governing body to respond firmly. Nigeria are seeking financial compensation from FIFA, citing as a precedent the €5 million paid to the Football Association of Ireland in 2010 after Thierry Henry's handball.
