There is growing confidence within the Nigeria Football Federation that the Super Eagles could receive another lifeline in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, as the country awaits FIFA’s verdict on a protest against DR Congo.
After losing the final of the African play-offs to DR Congo on penalties in Morocco last November, Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico were rekindled following a protest by the NFF, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the series.
The intercontinental play-offs are scheduled to take place from March 26 to 31 in Mexico, where DR Congo have been drawn to face the winner of the tie between New Caledonia and Jamaica for a chance to claim one of the two available World Cup slots.
As the play-offs draw closer, a verdict from FIFA is expected soon, and the NFF remains confident in the process.
“We are still waiting for them to reach out to us,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“We believe that we have a chance; that is why we petitioned. If we knew we didn’t have a chance, we wouldn’t have petitioned. That is our submission — it is now left to FIFA to decide,” he added.
Nigeria’s protest is hinged on the alleged illegal switch of nationality by some DR Congo players.
According to FIFA statutes, a player may request to change the association they are eligible to represent only once. The process requires a written and substantiated application, carried out in line with domestic regulations and approved by FIFA’s Players’ Status Committee.
While FIFA requires a player to hold a passport of the new nation they wish to represent — even if they also possess another passport — this is not the case under Congolese law, which forbids its citizens from holding dual nationality.
“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” Sanusi explained. “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,” he said after the petition was filed last December.
Like the NFF, there is also a sense of hope among the players.
“I mean, we’re still waiting — hopefully we can go to the World Cup,” midfielder Alex Iwobi said recently.
Should Nigeria’s protest be upheld, the Super Eagles would be in line to compete in the Mexico play-offs and potentially advance to the World Cup proper, where Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia await in Group K.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has suggested that the final recourse for Nigeria and DR Congo could be the Court of Arbitration for Sport following FIFA’s verdict.
“It requires a lot of things, and by the time it is finally decided, whether Nigeria wins or DR Congo wins, I believe the case might even go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Dikko said in Morocco last month.
“For us, we are waiting to see how it goes. All I know is that FIFA is still handling the petition,” he added.
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities in the three host countries.
Credit: punchng.com
