NFF sent DR Congo petition to wrong email, FIFA claims as controversy deepens

World Cup Qualifiers: FIFA dismisses Nigeria’s protest over DR Congo using an unqualified player, citing wrong email address and late filing, but Nigeria disagrees

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has come under criticism following revelations that Nigeria’s petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo over an allegedly ineligible player was dismissed partly because it was sent to the wrong email address.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had challenged DR Congo’s use of goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi during the 2026 World Cup African playoff final, which Nigeria lost 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Rabat, Morocco, in November 2025.

According to Nigeria Info, FIFA cited procedural irregularities, including the NFF’s decision to send its complaint to the office of FIFA’s General Secretary rather than through the designated legal portal.

A source at the National Sports Commission (NSC) questioned the justification, arguing that official correspondence is traditionally routed through the General Secretary’s office before being forwarded to relevant departments.

The source described the explanation as “a laughable claim,” insisting that submitting the petition through the General Secretary should not invalidate its substance.

FIFA also reportedly rejected the complaint because it was submitted after the stipulated deadline.

“Another ground was that it was filed late,” the NSC said.

“A lame excuse because doing the right thing after an infraction of such magnitude shouldn’t be time barred.”

The controversy intensified following reports that FIFA’s legal officials had identified concerns about whether Mpasi completed the required nationality-switch procedures after previously representing France at youth level.

According to Vanguard, the petition’s submission to the General Secretary rather than the legal portal was among the technical grounds cited for its dismissal.

However, FIFA has maintained that no eligibility issues affected DR Congo’s subsequent matches against Jamaica or its participation in the 2026 World Cup.

The distinction between identifying potential eligibility irregularities and establishing a violation has become central to the dispute.

A separate Legit.ng report said FIFA could have considered sanctions, including fines, forfeiture or replacing DR Congo in the intercontinental playoff, had the complaint succeeded.

Former NFF president Ibrahim Gusau also questioned FIFA’s handling of the matter.

“They just kept quiet, and they can’t tell anyone because they know it’s going to be a serious crisis for them,” he said.

The dispute has raised questions about whether FIFA was justified in dismissing Nigeria’s complaint over its submission channel.

Although international sporting bodies generally enforce filing deadlines and designated submission procedures, critics argue that serious eligibility allegations deserve substantive consideration.

However, sending a petition to the General Secretary does not automatically establish that it was validly filed under FIFA’s applicable regulations.

Whether FIFA acted wrongly therefore depends on the governing procedural rules, the complaint’s filing deadline and whether the designated legal portal was mandatory.

Without those details, the wrong-email explanation alone cannot establish that FIFA’s dismissal was improper.