Nigeria’s bid to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been given a potential boost after the Nigeria Football Federation formally submitted a protest to FIFA against the Democratic Republic of Congo over alleged violations of player eligibility regulations.
The Super Eagles had appeared to see their World Cup journey end in November after losing to DR Congo on penalties during the African playoff round. However, fresh concerns have emerged over the status of several Congolese players who took part in that decisive fixture. Reports indicate that as many as six players may not have fully complied with FIFA and national requirements governing international eligibility.
At the heart of the complaint is the assertion that the players involved did not properly complete the nationality switch process. Under Congolese law, dual citizenship is not recognised, meaning players are required to formally renounce any previous nationality before representing the country. Additional questions have been raised about players who reportedly still hold European passports and are over the age of 21, circumstances that could contravene FIFA regulations.
Confirming the development, NFF Secretary General Dr Mohammed Sanusi revealed that Nigeria has officially lodged a petition with FIFA challenging the players’ participation.
“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. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition,” he said.
Sanusi explained that FIFA’s initial approval of the players was based on documents submitted by the Congolese Football Association, but Nigeria believes the governing body may have been misled.
“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. 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,” he added.
The case is now under review by FIFA, which will decide whether DR Congo breached eligibility rules. If Nigeria’s protest is upheld, the Super Eagles could be reinstated into the qualification pathway, potentially earning a place in the Intercontinental Playoffs scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico, provided the matches have not yet been played.
The development has renewed optimism among Nigerian fans who had accepted the possibility of missing out on the World Cup. FIFA’s final decision will determine whether Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup campaign can be revived.
