World Cup 2026: NFF Challenges DR Congo Player Eligibility, Super Eagles’ Qualification Hopes Rekindled

Abuja, Dec. 16, 2025 – Nigeria’s chances of featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup may not be over, as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally challenged DR Congo’s involvement in the African play-offs, citing alleged breaches of player eligibility rules.

The NFF’s petition follows Nigeria’s elimination by DR Congo in November, after a dramatic encounter in Morocco that ended 4–3 on penalties. That defeat had dashed the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the intercontinental play-off stage for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

According to NFF sources, between six and nine DR Congo players fielded during the play-offs may not have fully complied with legal requirements before switching their national allegiances. While FIFA clearance had been granted based on possession of valid DR Congo passports, the NFF raised concerns that the players may not have formally renounced previous nationalities, a potential violation under the Congolese constitution, which does not recognise dual citizenship.

A senior NFF official told Politics Nigeria, “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 as well.”

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, confirmed that the federation had officially questioned the process that led to the players’ clearance. “FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” he said. “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.”

Should the petition be upheld, the outcome of the play-off could be overturned, potentially reopening a qualification path for Nigeria to the intercontinental play-offs. DR Congo had advanced directly to the final, where they are scheduled to meet the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica. The NFF’s challenge now casts uncertainty over that position.

The development has reignited hope among Nigerian football fans, who have watched their team miss successive World Cups after failing to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar, following a 2018 appearance in Russia. For DR Congo, the controversy casts a shadow over what could have been a historic return to the global stage; the country has only competed once at the World Cup, in 1974 under the name Zaire.

As FIFA reviews the petition and awaits documentation from the NFF, the Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup aspirations hang in the balance, with Nigerian supporters daring to dream of a revived path to the world’s most prestigious football tournament.