Nigeria’s Super Eagles could have faced Jamaica in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs, not DR Congo, after fresh investigation revealed that the Leopards fielded some ineligible players during the CAF playoffs.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had filed an official complaint to FIFA concerning the matter after the Super Eagles lost on penalties in November 2025. The NFF challenged the eligibility of several players in the Congolese team over their nationality and passport concerns.

However, the complaint yielded no positive outcome from the world football governing body, as DR Congo went on to beat Jamaica in the intercontinental playoffs to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1974.

Meanwhile, according to a new investigation by the New York Times and documents seen by Le Monde, FIFA ignored the ineligibility of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who was in goal for several qualifying matches en route to the playoffs and the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

According to the findings, Mpasi, who holds French and Congolese nationality, had not completed the process of switching his sporting nationality to DR Congo, yet played during the qualifiers.

Lionel Mpasi became cap-tied to France at youth level after featuring in an Under-17 Euro qualifier against Serbia in 2011.

According to The New York Times, FIFA did not deny any of its findings but revealed that it dismissed Nigeria’s case based on a technicality.

The document obtained further revealed that the FIFA Committee on the matter was faced with a couple of options: impose fines on DR Congo, disqualify and replace them with Nigeria, award the match to Nigeria, or do nothing.

Apparently, FIFA chose the last option, as DR Congo played Jamaica in the intercontinental playoffs before eventually qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Had FIFA taken decisive action against DR Congo, the Super Eagles would have faced Jamaica for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA’s negligence over the matter places the integrity of the organization under further scrutiny at a time when it has come under severe criticism from regional associations especially with the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise.