Lille President Accuses Congolese Federation of Detaining Mbemba, Escalates Dispute to FIFA
Olivier Létang, President of French club Lille, has accused the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) of unilaterally detaining players, most notably national team captain Chancel Mbemba. Létang views this action as a clear violation of FIFA regulations, which mandate players' return to their clubs within 48 hours of their international matches.
Detailing the incident, Létang stated that FECOFA decided to keep the players until next Monday, despite Mbemba being scheduled to be back at Lille's headquarters in France by Thursday noon, following his participation in a World Cup qualification match on Tuesday.
The Lille president declared, “The Congolese Federation unilaterally decided to ban the players until Monday, while FIFA regulations are clear: players must return to their clubs 48 hours after the match.” He emphasized that the French club had previously agreed to release the player for two days following the derby match against Lens.
According to the club president's statements, the matter is now in the hands of FIFA's Disciplinary Committee, given that this action sets a dangerous precedent for clubs responsible for players' salaries. Létang added, “The case is already with FIFA's Disciplinary Committee because it constitutes a very serious precedent for all clubs that pay players' wages.”
He also indicated that relevant FIFA bodies are paying close attention to the issue and have sent official correspondence to FECOFA to clarify the situation.
These tensions arise following the Democratic Republic of Congo national team's successful qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals, after defeating Jamaica by a clean goal in a match that went into extra time. This achievement marks the national team's return to the global tournament after a 52-year absence.
While player Ngalaïel Mukau has returned to Lille, Mbemba's situation remains pending despite his importance to the French team, with whom he has participated in 20 matches across various competitions this current season.
