Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been reignited following a formal petition filed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over alleged breaches of player eligibility rules.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Super Eagles were eliminated in November after losing to DR Congo on penalties in the African playoff round. However, questions have since emerged over the eligibility of several Congolese players who featured in the match. Reports indicate that as many as six players may not have completed the full nationality-switch process required under FIFA regulations.
At the centre of the allegations is the claim that the players failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships, a requirement under Congolese law, which does not recognise dual nationality. Further concerns relate to players who reportedly hold European passports and are over the age of 21, conditions that could place them in violation of FIFA eligibility rules.
Confirming the development, NFF Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said a petition had been submitted to FIFA challenging the participation of the players.
“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,” Sanusi said.
He explained that FIFA’s clearance of the players was based on documentation provided by DR Congo, but insisted Nigeria believes the process may have been compromised.
“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,” he said.
“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 petition is now before FIFA, which will determine whether DR Congo breached eligibility rules. Should the complaint succeed, Nigeria could be reinstated into contention for the Intercontinental Playoffs scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico, provided the fixtures have not already been played.
The development has rekindled hope among Nigerian supporters who had resigned themselves to missing out on the World Cup following the November defeat. The outcome of FIFA’s investigation will ultimately determine whether Nigeria’s qualification campaign can be revived.
