Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been dramatically revived after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) formally petitioned FIFA over alleged player eligibility breaches by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles were knocked out of the African playoff race in November after losing to DR Congo on penalties in the final, a result that appeared to end Nigeria’s road to the Mundial.
But the matter has now taken a fresh turn, with FIFA set to review claims that several Congolese players who featured in the decisive match may not have been eligible under both national law and FIFA regulations.
If Nigeria’s petition is upheld, the Super Eagles could be reinstated and take DR Congo’s place in the intercontinental playoffs, a scenario that would reopen a path to the World Cup about four weeks after Nigeria were thought to be out of contention.
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A Nigerian campaign that seemed over
Nigeria’s qualification journey had already been complicated long before the playoff defeat. Drawn in Group C of the African qualifiers, the Super Eagles failed to secure automatic qualification after finishing second behind South Africa, who claimed the group’s direct World Cup ticket.
That placed Nigeria in the African playoffs, a second chance route that demanded perfection. The Super Eagles responded strongly in the semi-final, dismantling Gabon 4-1 to book a place in the final. DR Congo, meanwhile, edged Cameroon in the other semi-final to set up a winner-takes-all showdown.
The final proved tight and tense. After a 1-1 draw, DR Congo prevailed on penalties, earning the right to represent Africa in the intercontinental playoff scheduled for March next year, where just one victory would be enough to secure a World Cup berth.
For Nigeria, it looked like the end of the road, until fresh questions emerged.
DR Congo face player eligibility issues
Nigeria’s renewed optimism stems from concerns surrounding the eligibility of several Congolese players involved in that playoff final.
According to reports now forming the basis of the NFF’s petition, as many as six DR Congo players may not have completed the full nationality switch process required to represent the country. Central to the case is Congolese law, which does not permit dual nationality.
The allegation is that some players retained European passports, including French and Dutch, and did not formally renounce their previous citizenships, a legal step required under Congolese regulations. Additional concerns relate to players over the age of 21, which could further complicate eligibility under FIFA statutes.
While FIFA had cleared the players to feature, Nigeria believes that approval was granted based on information submitted by DR Congo, information the NFF now claims may have been misleading.
Nigeria petitions FIFA
The NFF has confirmed that the matter has been formally lodged with FIFA and is now under review.
NFF Secretary General Dr Mohammed Sanusi outlined Nigeria’s position in clear terms, insisting that the federation acted after carefully studying both FIFA rules and Congolese national law.
“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have a dual citizenship or nationality. Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; there are some of them that have French passports, some of them Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition,” he said as per the Vanguard.
Sanusi acknowledged that FIFA had initially approved the players’ participation but argued that the world governing body may have been misled during the process.
“That’s why FIFA cleared them. FIFA rules say once you have passports of your country, you’re eligible, as far as FIFA is concerned, they are eligible and that’s why they were cleared,” he added.
“But right now, our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not the responsibility of FIFA to ensure that the regulations of Congo are followed. FIFA goes by its own regulations, and it was on the basis of what was submitted to FIFA that they cleared them. What we are saying is that it was fraudulent.”
Photo by Nsidibe Akpan Copyright: xxIMAGO
FIFA to decide Nigeria’s fate
The case now rests with FIFA, whose ruling will determine whether DR Congo breached eligibility rules and whether sanctions, including disqualification, are warranted.
Should Nigeria’s complaint succeed, the Super Eagles could be reinstated into the qualification pathway and handed a place in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico, provided the fixtures have not already been concluded.
In essence, Nigeria’s World Cup dream may yet be salvaged by a decision off the pitch rather than on it.