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Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been revived after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) formally petitioned FIFA over alleged player eligibility violations by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Super Eagles were knocked out of World Cup qualification in November after losing to DR Congo on penalties during the African playoff round.
However, fresh doubts have since emerged over whether several Congolese players who took part in the match were eligible under FIFA regulations.
According to reports, as many as six DR Congo players may not have properly completed the nationality switch process required to represent the country.
The NFF claims the players failed to fully comply with both Congolese national law and FIFA eligibility rules.
At the centre of the dispute is Congo’s legal position on citizenship. The country does not permit dual nationality, and the NFF alleges that some players continued to hold European passports without formally renouncing their previous citizenships, a requirement under Congolese law.
Additional concerns relate to players aged over 21, which could further complicate their eligibility under FIFA statutes governing national team representation.
Confirming the development, NFF Secretary General Dr Mohammed Sanusi revealed that Nigeria has officially submitted a petition to FIFA challenging the players’ participation.
“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, and some of them have Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition,” Sanusi said.
He explained that FIFA had originally cleared the players based on documentation provided by the Congolese Football Association, but Nigeria believes that approval may have been obtained under false pretences.
“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, you’re 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,” Sanusi added.
The case is now under FIFA’s review, with the world governing body set to determine whether DR Congo breached eligibility regulations.
If Nigeria’s petition is upheld, the Super Eagles could be reinstated into the qualification process and potentially take part in the Intercontinental Playoffs scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico, provided those matches have not already been completed.
This development has reignited optimism among Nigerian fans, many of whom had accepted that the country would miss out on the expanded World Cup following November’s defeat.
FIFA’s ruling will now be crucial in deciding whether Nigeria’s World Cup campaign can yet be salvaged.
