Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have received a major boost following confirmation by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that it has lodged a formal petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over the alleged use of ineligible players during the African qualifiers.
The Super Eagles were knocked out of the qualification race in November after losing 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in Morocco, a defeat that appeared to end Nigeria’s dream of reaching the World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, fresh developments suggest the outcome may yet be reviewed. According to the NFF, concerns have been raised over the eligibility status of between six and nine DR Congo players who featured in the decisive play-off. The players are reportedly nationals who switched allegiance to DR Congo but may not have fully complied with the country’s constitutional requirements before representing the team.
Although FIFA cleared the players on the basis that they possessed valid DR Congo passports, the NFF argues that Congolese law does not permit dual citizenship. It is alleged that the affected players failed to formally renounce their previous nationalities, a requirement under DR Congo’s constitution.
A member of the NFF executive board confirmed that the federation has submitted relevant documents to FIFA, describing the issue as a “loophole” worth exploring.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed the petition, stating that while FIFA rules allow a player to represent a country once issued a valid passport, the federation believes FIFA may have been misled.
“FIFA acts based on the documents presented to it,” Sanusi said. “Our concern is that the process was fraudulent because the players’ status contradicts Congolese domestic law, which forbids dual nationality.”
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DR Congo has since been handed a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off, where they are expected to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica. That progression could now be placed in doubt pending FIFA’s review of the petition.
If Nigeria’s complaint is upheld, it could reopen the Super Eagles’ path to the 2026 World Cup and avert the prospect of missing the tournament for a second consecutive time, following their failure to qualify for Qatar 2022.
DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, has appeared at the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1974.