Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may not be over after all, following emerging controversies surrounding the eligibility of DR Congo players in the playoff stage of the African qualifiers.
DR Congo had edged the Super Eagles on penalties in November to claim Africa’s slot in the Intercontinental Playoffs. However, fresh reports now suggest that the Congolese team could face sanctions for allegedly fielding ineligible players, a development that could reopen Nigeria’s path to qualification ahead of the playoffs scheduled for March 2026.
According to the reports, as many as six DR Congo players who switched national allegiance may not have completed the full eligibility process required under FIFA regulations. At the centre of the allegations is the claim that the players failed to formally renounce their previous nationalities; an important requirement under DR Congo’s laws, which do not permit dual citizenship.
Further concerns have been raised over claims that some of the players involved were over the age of 21 and held European passports at the time they featured in the crucial playoff encounter, potentially breaching eligibility rules.
Confirming Nigeria’s position on the matter, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed that a formal petition has been submitted to FIFA, challenging the eligibility of certain DR Congo players over alleged violations of nationality regulations.
“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,” Sanusi said. “The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.”
Sanusi explained that FIFA’s initial clearance of the players was based on documents submitted to the world football governing body, but Nigeria believes that the process may have been compromised.
“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.”
If FIFA rules in Nigeria’s favour, the Super Eagles could yet be reinstated into contention for the Intercontinental Playoffs in Mexico, provided the matches have not already been concluded, keeping alive a dramatic twist in Nigeria’s World Cup journey.
