By Endurance Ikanone
Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have received a potential lifeline following a formal petition by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over the alleged use of ineligible players by DR Congo during the qualifiers.
The NFF has confirmed that it has submitted documents to FIFA, questioning the eligibility of several DR Congo players who featured in the African play-offs that ended Nigeria’s qualification campaign.
DR Congo knocked the Super Eagles out in November after a dramatic 4–3 penalty shoot-out win in Morocco, a result that dashed Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the FIFA intercontinental play-off.
The Congolese side was subsequently handed a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off tournament, where they are due to face the winner of the semi-final clash between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
However, that place could now be under threat following concerns raised by the NFF over the nationality status of some DR Congo players used during the play-offs.
According to reports, between six and nine players who switched allegiance to DR Congo may not have fully complied with the country’s nationality laws before representing the team. While FIFA reportedly cleared the players based on possession of valid DR Congo passports, it is alleged that they failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships, contrary to Congolese law, which does not recognise dual nationality.
“NFF has done the needful,” a member of the federation’s executive board told Blazenews.
“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.”
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed that the federation has officially challenged the players’ eligibility.
“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” Sanusi said. “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.
“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. 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 latest development has reignited optimism in Nigeria, who face the prospect of missing consecutive World Cups after also failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
DR Congo, on their part, have featured at the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.
