The Nigeria Football Federation has formally submitted a petition to FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players by the Democratic Republic of Congo during the recent African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
DR Congo edged the Super Eagles 4–3 on penalties in the final playoff, a result that sent the Leopards into the inter confederation playoffs and extended Nigeria’s wait for a return to the World Cup stage after also missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The controversy centres on the eligibility of several DR Congo players who were born abroad and recently cleared to represent the country. Under Congolese law, dual citizenship is not recognised beyond the age of 21, raising questions over whether some members of the squad held valid nationality at the time of the playoff.
The NFF’s petition argues that FIFA may have been misled during the clearance process, with Nigerian officials insisting that domestic citizenship laws in DR Congo were not properly disclosed.
NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said Nigeria’s position is that while FIFA regulations allow players to compete once they hold a national passport, the Congolese FA allegedly presented documentation that did not fully reflect the country’s legal framework on nationality.
According to the NFF, this discrepancy undermines the integrity of the playoff and warrants FIFA’s intervention. The federation is now awaiting a response from football’s global governing body as Nigeria seeks clarity on whether the match outcome could be revisited or sanctions applied.
