NFF considers demanding FIFA compensation after Nigeria miss 2026 World Cup

Nigeria's National Sports Commission (NSC) has said the country is weighing a compensation claim against FIFA after revelations that DR Congo fielded an ineligible player during World Cup qualifying, which ultimately led to Nigeria's elimination from the 2026 tournament.

A senior NSC official told ESPN that nothing has been formally decided, but the financial losses alone make compensation worth pursuing seriously.

The claims follow reporting by The New York Times and Le Monde, both of which reviewed internal FIFA documents showing that the federation's own legal team identified a problem with DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi's eligibility as far back as March 2026.

According to the reports, Mpasi's change of international association from France had not been completed at the time, yet no disciplinary action was taken.

DR Congo went on to beat Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff and qualified for the World Cup.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had raised eligibility concerns much earlier, after DR Congo knocked the Super Eagles out of the African World Cup playoffs in November.

The two sides drew 1-1 after extra time before DR Congo won 4-3 on penalties.

The NFF's original concerns were broader than the Mpasi issue alone, with then-NFF president Ibrahim Gusau arguing that multiple DR Congo players had been wrongly cleared because of questions around their nationality status under Congolese law.

The NSC official said the newly surfaced evidence strengthens Nigeria's position and calls for FIFA to go beyond procedural questions.

The official also argued that Nigeria's petition did not need to follow the same procedural path as a formal protest, pointing to cases involving South Africa, Greece, and Bolivia where FIFA acted on its own initiative against teams that fielded ineligible players.

Beyond compensation, Nigeria wants FIFA to reopen the entire DR Congo case.

There is some precedent for FIFA paying out in disputed elimination cases.

FIFA gave the Football Association of Ireland €5 million after Ireland's controversial exit at the hands of France in qualification for the 2010 World Cup, following Thierry Henry's notorious handball.

FIFA later described that arrangement as a one-off, and Nigeria's situation differs in that the argument is centred on FIFA's own failure to enforce its eligibility rules.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported about FIFA’s decision to dismiss Nigeria’s protest over DR Congo fielding an ineligible player, despite finding the NFF’s case valid.

The Super Eagles could have taken DR Congo’s place in the World Cup play-off, but FIFA rejected the complaint because it was filed too late.

Chukwu Ikechukwu (Sports Editor) Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a seasoned sports journalist with over a decade of experience across radio, TV, and online media. His career has seen him contribute his expertise to prominent media outlets such as Today FM, Wish FM, Silverbird Communications, and Sports Brief. Chukwu has covered prominent sporting events, including the African Wrestling Championship, NPFL matches, AFCON, and World Cup qualifiers, etc. Email: [email protected]