NIGERIA EYES REVIVAL AFTER DR CONGO ELIGIBILITY STORM

Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup dreams have sparked back to life amid a heated controversy over alleged ineligible players used by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) during their African qualifying playoff showdown in November. 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally petitioned FIFA, arguing that the Leopards may have fielded up to nine players who didn’t fully meet eligibility criteria, a move that could upend Congo’s advancement and hand Nigeria a second chance at qualification. 

The dispute stems from claims that between six and nine DR Congo squad members, including several high-profile figures, switched national allegiances without completing the full legal and administrative process required under Congolese law, which doesn’t allow dual citizenship.

Although FIFA cleared these players on the basis of valid Congolese passports, Nigeria insists that wasn’t enough, alleging that the players hadn’t formally renounced their previous nationalities, a key part of DR Congo’s own legal framework.

“We’ve done the needful,” said NFF Secretary-General Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explaining that Nigeria has submitted documents to FIFA highlighting what it believes was a fraudulent clearance process. 

Sanusi stressed that while FIFA usually goes by documentation presented, the federation suspects the process may have misled the governing body. 

DR Congo has not taken the allegations lightly. In a fiery message shared on the national team’s official social media account, the Leopards threw down a challenge by warning Nigeria not to try to “win from the back door” and insisting that World Cup qualification should be settled on the pitch, not in offices. 

Image credit: Punch Newspapers