A revelation shakes the world of football. According to joint investigations published this Tuesday by
The World and the
New York TimesFIFA would have deliberately flouted its own regulations to guarantee the presence of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the 2026 World Cup.
At the center of the affair is the alignment by the Leopards of goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, administratively ineligible during the World Cup qualifying matches for reasons of nationality and passport fraud. According to the strict texts of the international body, this offense should have resulted in an immediate and unequivocal sanction: an automatic withdrawal, synonymous with direct elimination for the Congolese selection.
However, FIFA has chosen to turn a blind eye. Exclusive documents and testimonies obtained by the two dailies reveal that senior leaders of the body, including its president Gianni Infantino, intervened behind the scenes. The objective was to stifle the disciplinary procedure in order to preserve the qualification of the DRC at all costs.
Purely political motivations
This exceptional privilege would hide purely geopolitical and financial motivations. FIFA would seek to secure the political favors of the Congolese government and consolidate its support on the African continent, a crucial reservoir of votes for the current governance of the institution.
These revelations have once again seriously damaged the credibility of the world football body. They highlight a system where corridor diplomacy and strategic interests prevail over the integrity of competitions. For the moment, FIFA has not provided any convincing justification for these accusations of unprecedented favoritism.
