FIFA Allowed DR Congo World Cup Entry Despite Ineligible Player Finding

FIFA reportedly allowed the Democratic Republic of the Congo to participate in the World Cup, even after an internal investigation indicated the team had used an ineligible player during the qualifying stages. The player in question, goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who had previously represented France at youth levels, had not completed the necessary nationality switch process, according to the findings.

Despite this discovery, which was reportedly known to FIFA investigators before the tournament commenced, no sanctions were imposed on the Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa). Mpasi featured prominently for his team throughout the competition, including in their match against England. This situation has emerged amidst ongoing scrutiny of FIFA's governance and decision-making processes.