FIFA says no eligibility concerns over DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi

The FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign involving DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi is not under threat, after FIFA dismissed reports that his eligibility could be questioned.

The controversy followed reports in the international press, including Le Monde and The New York Times. Citing internal documents, the newspapers claimed that Mpasi had played in the qualifiers for the Leopards while the Federation Congolaise de Football Association (FECOFA) had not fully completed the goalkeeper’s change-of-association process, which began in 2021.

Under the relevant disciplinary regulations, that administrative issue could potentially have exposed DR Congo to disqualification.

However, information reported by German publication Kicker indicates that FIFA has rejected any suggestion of an eligibility problem. The world governing body was questioned directly by the German Press Agency (DPA) and confirmed that no regulatory obstacle affected Mpasi’s involvement.

FIFA’s position means that the goalkeeper’s participation in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, as well as in the final tournament, is not being challenged on eligibility grounds.

FECOFA has so far not commented publicly on the reports. While FIFA’s clarification removes the immediate sporting uncertainty surrounding the national team, the episode has highlighted the need for complete administrative accuracy when handling the files of dual-nationality players.