Should the petition be upheld, the outcome of the play-off could be overturned, potentially reopening a qualification route for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria’s hopes of returning to the FIFA World Cup have been given a potential boost after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) moved to challenge DR Congo’s involvement in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The action follows allegations that DR Congo breached player eligibility rules during the African play-offs, with the NFF formally questioning the status of several Congolese players fielded in matches that eliminated Nigeria.
Should the petition be upheld, the outcome of the play-off could be overturned, potentially reopening a qualification route for the Super Eagles.
DR Congo eliminated Nigeria in November after a tense encounter in Morocco that ended 4–3 on penalties. The defeat effectively ended Nigeria’s push for a place in the intercontinental play-off for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Following that victory, DR Congo advanced directly to the final of the intercontinental play-off tournament, where they are expected to meet the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica. That position, however, is now being questioned.
The NFF disclosed that between six and nine DR Congo players who featured in the play-offs may not have fully complied with legal requirements before changing their national allegiance.
Although the players reportedly possessed valid DR Congo passports and were cleared under FIFA regulations, the federation raised concerns over whether they formally renounced their previous nationalities.
The issue hinges on DR Congo’s constitution, which does not recognise dual citizenship, a provision the NFF contends may have been breached.
“NFF has done the needful,” Politics Nigeria quoted a senior federation official as saying.
“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, also confirmed that the federation has officially challenged the process that led to the players’ clearance.
“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” Sanusi said, as quoted by Politics Nigeria.
He added: “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 further explained the federation’s position on FIFA’s role in the matter.
“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” Sanusi stated.
“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 unfolding situation has reignited optimism among Nigerian football fans.
Nigeria has not appeared at the World Cup since 2018 and narrowly missed out on the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Missing the 2026 edition would have marked back-to-back absences for Africa’s most populous nation.
For DR Congo, the controversy casts a shadow over what could have been a historic return to the global stage.
The country has only featured once at the World Cup, in 1974, when it competed under the name Zaire.
As the NFF awaits FIFA’s response, the Super Eagles’ World Cup dream, once thought dead, may yet be revived.