Abuja – Nigeria’s bid for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been given a fresh lifeline after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) filed a formal petition with FIFA questioning the eligibility of several DR Congo players who featured in the African play‑offs that eliminated the Super Eagles.
The decisive match took place in Morocco in November, where DR Congo edged Nigeria 4‑3 on penalties after a 1‑1 draw, securing the African slot in the inter‑continental play‑off. The Congolese side subsequently received a bye into the final of that tournament, where they are set to meet the winner of the semi‑final between New Caledonia and Jamaica. That place is now under threat following the NFF’s complaint.
According to the federation, between six and nine players who switched allegiance to DR Congo may have failed to comply with the country’s nationality laws, which do not recognise dual citizenship. An NFF executive board member told Blazenews, “NFF has done the needful. Their constitution does not allow dual citizenship, and about six to nine players had that status during the play‑off. That is the loophole we are exploring. Our lawyers must have submitted the relevant documents to FIFA.”
NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi confirmed the petition, saying, “We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Wan‑Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, others Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.” He added, “FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”
The NFF’s move has reignited optimism in Nigeria, a nation that missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and now faces the prospect of missing consecutive tournaments. DR Congo, meanwhile, have only one World Cup appearance, back in 1974 when they competed as Zaire.
FIFA has yet to announce whether it will open an investigation, but the petition has already added a dramatic twist to the race for the final World Cup slot in North America.
