The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed it has petitioned FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players by the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a move that could reopen Nigeria’s path to the tournament.
DR Congo knocked Nigeria out of the African play-offs in November after a 4–3 penalty shootout win in Morocco, ending the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the intercontinental play-off. The Congolese side was subsequently granted a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off, where they are due to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
However, that participation is now under scrutiny following claims by the NFF that several DR Congo players fielded during the African play-offs may not have met eligibility requirements under Congolese law.
Reports indicate that between six and nine players who switched national allegiance allegedly failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships before representing DR Congo. While FIFA reportedly cleared the players on the basis that they held valid DR Congo passports, the country’s constitution does not permit dual nationality.
A member of the NFF executive board confirmed that the federation had taken action, saying relevant documents had been submitted to FIFA to challenge the players’ eligibility.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed the petition, stressing that the issue lies with compliance with DR Congo’s domestic laws. He noted that some of the players still held European passports, including French and Dutch nationalities.
Sanusi explained that although FIFA rules allow players to represent a country once they possess its passport, the NFF’s position is that FIFA was misled during the clearance process. He added that FIFA relies on documents presented to it and does not enforce domestic nationality laws, which the NFF believes were breached in this case.
The outcome of FIFA’s review could have significant implications for the World Cup qualification race and Nigeria’s chances of returning to contention.
