The Super Eagles hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup have ended after FIFA confirmed the final teams for the inter confederation play off tournament and named DR Congo national football team as Africa’s representative.
In an official notice released on Wednesday, FIFA outlined the format for the tournament and listed the six qualified nations. DR Congo were included in the final lineup, confirming that the Nigeria national football team will not participate.
This development comes despite the Nigeria Football Federation challenging the outcome of their CAF play off defeat in November 2025. The NFF had submitted a formal protest, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the African play off final. That match ended 1 to 1 before Nigeria lost on penalties. The appeal was aimed at overturning the result and securing a place for the Super Eagles in the inter continental play offs.
However, FIFA has now confirmed the qualified teams. In its statement, the world football body said: “The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament will see six teams fight it out for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 Host Cities.”
It further stated: “All of the six teams have now been decided, with Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname confirmed as qualifiers.”
The play off tournament is scheduled to begin on March 26.
Nigeria’s absence means they will miss back to back World Cups, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar after losing to Ghana national football team in the playoffs.
For DR Congo, the upcoming tournament presents a chance to return to the global stage for the first time since their only appearance at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, where they were eliminated in the group stage after losing all three matches.
