The Nigeria Football Federation has launched a formal investigation into the eligibility of several Democratic Republic of Congo players following their victory over Nigeria in the African play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This development has reignited hopes for the Super Eagles to still qualify for the tournament set to hold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Okay News reports.
DR Congo secured Nigeria’s elimination from the African play-offs in November after a dramatic 4–3 penalty shoot-out in Morocco. The defeat had previously ended Nigeria’s chance to advance to the intercontinental play-off stage. However, the emergence of questions surrounding the eligibility of DR Congo’s squad has put their advancement to the intercontinental play-off final under scrutiny, where they are scheduled to face the winner between New Caledonia and Jamaica.
Sources indicate that between six and nine Congolese players who recently switched national allegiances may not have fully adhered to the eligibility criteria under DR Congo law before representing the country. While FIFA reportedly cleared these players based on their possession of valid Congolese passports, it is alleged they did not formally renounce their previous nationalities—a requirement under the Central African nation’s constitution, which prohibits dual citizenship.
A member of the Nigeria Football Federation’s executive board told Okay News, “Their constitution does not allow dual citizenship, and about six to nine players had that status during the play-off. That is the loophole we are exploring. Our lawyers must have submitted the relevant documents to FIFA as well.”
NFF General Secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi also affirmed that the federation has formally challenged the players’ eligibility. “We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” he said. “Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, others Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition. FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. 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.”
The revelation has sparked renewed optimism among Nigerian football fans, as the country had previously failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups, including the 2022 edition in Qatar. Historically, DR Congo has made only one FIFA World Cup appearance in 1974, when it competed as Zaire.
