Nigeria’s protest over DR Congo’s use of allegedly ineligible players in World Cup qualifying reportedly encountered a procedural problem because it was submitted to FIFA’s Secretary General rather than through the governing body’s Legal Portal.
OwnGoalNigeria reported the claim on October 7, citing an unnamed senior source at the National Sports Commission. The publication said the filing channel and the timing of the complaint were among the grounds cited for rejecting the petition.
The specific account of how Nigeria submitted its complaint remains attributed to that source. FIFA has publicly stated that its Disciplinary Committee declared the Nigerian federation’s protest inadmissible.
FIFA rules require Legal Portal submissions
FIFA’s published guidance distinguishes between general correspondence and formal disciplinary proceedings.
The governing body made its Legal Portal mandatory for relevant proceedings from May 1, 2023. Its frequently asked questions state that disciplinary submissions sent through other channels, including email or post, are inadmissible and will be disregarded.
General enquiries may still be submitted by email, but that does not establish that a formal disciplinary protest sent to the Secretary General satisfies the filing requirements.
The rules provide a procedural basis for requiring portal submission, although the precise handling of Nigeria’s complaint must be established from the case records.
Mpasi eligibility reports renew scrutiny
The filing controversy follows reporting by The New York Times and Le Monde that FIFA’s internal review identified an issue with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi’s eligibility during DR Congo’s qualifying campaign.
According to those reports, Mpasi, a former France youth international, had not completed the required process to change his international association before representing DR Congo.
The issue concerns football eligibility and the formal change-of-association process, rather than simply whether the goalkeeper possessed Congolese nationality.
Mpasi played in the African play-off final against Nigeria, which DR Congo won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time. The result sent DR Congo into the intercontinental play-off.
Nigeria’s qualification setback forms part of the wider debate over football administration examined in The Bureau Journal’s report on leadership and accountability concerns at the NFF.
FIFA says disciplinary decision became final
In its response to the latest reporting, FIFA said the disciplinary decision was communicated to the Nigeria Football Federation in early March 2026.
The governing body said no proper appeal was lodged and that the decision consequently became final and binding.
FIFA also maintained that there were no eligibility issues for DR Congo’s subsequent match against Jamaica or its appearances at the 2026 World Cup.
Eligibility and filing procedure are separate questions
The competing accounts place two questions at the centre of the controversy: whether eligibility requirements were met during qualifying, and whether Nigeria complied with the procedures for submitting and appealing its protest.
Resolving one question does not automatically resolve the other. The newly reported filing-channel allegation adds to scrutiny of how the complaint was prepared and handled.
Follow The Bureau Journal’s Sports coverage for further reporting on Nigerian football, international competitions and football governance.
Get breaking news and latest updates directly on WhatsApp
