DR Congo turns to FIFA official to influence Nigeria eligibility case

As the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) prepares to rule on the players’ eligibility case filed by Nigeria against DR Congo, reports indicate that top Congolese FIFA official Véron Mosengo-Omba is making a last-minute effort to influence the decision.

DR Congo is reportedly relying on the presence of Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretary-general Mosengo-Omba, a citizen of the country, to help them counter Nigeria in a case of alleged ‘forged citizenship.’

High expectations point to Monday for FIFA to announce its verdict on the petition lodged by Nigeria. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) alleged that DR Congo officials submitted forged documents to clear several players with dual nationality to play in the World Cup qualification play-offs.

Although all the players were cleared by FIFA to feature for DR Congo, who defeated Nigeria on penalties in the play-off final, the NFF insists that those clearances were obtained using fraudulent documents.

Speculation over the likely verdict has lingered for almost three months, with reports indicating that DR Congo is relying on Mosengo-Omba’s influence.

According to Sports247, the impending FIFA ruling comes four months after the CAF official was allegedly “accused of running the organisation as his proprietorship, where employees are fired for speaking out against him.”

A report in The Guardian by Ed Aarons and Romain Molina added that several former and current staff members described “an atmosphere of intimidation at CAF headquarters in Cairo, where Mosengo-Omba is accused of sidelining colleagues and silencing whistleblowers.”

Mosengo-Omba, a Swiss-Congolese national born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was appointed CAF General Secretary in March 2021. Previously FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer, he is also a close associate of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Sources say he and top executives from Congo and some Francophone countries are using their influence within FIFA to lobby for a favourable decision, aware that Nigeria could otherwise win the case based on evidence and leaked information.