FIFA has officially dismissed Nigeria’s appeal regarding the eligibility of players from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), effectively ending the Super Eagles’ hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
The controversy stems from the CAF playoff final held on November 16 in Rabat, where DRC defeated Nigeria 4–3 on penalties following a 1–1 draw. Victor Osimhen had opened the scoring for Nigeria, only for Cedric Bakambu to equalize for the DRC.
Following the match, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) lodged a formal protest, claiming that several DRC players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, violated FIFA’s dual-nationality rules. The NFF argued that these players were ineligible to participate, and requested that FIFA award the match in Nigeria’s favor.
After reviewing the case, FIFA concluded that the evidence presented by Nigeria was insufficient to warrant any changes to the match outcome. The ruling confirms DRC’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup and marks a bitter disappointment for Nigeria, which had invested heavily in preparation for the tournament.
The decision reinforces FIFA’s commitment to enforcing its eligibility rules while maintaining the integrity of competitive results. Nigerian officials have stated they are “disappointed but respect the decision,” and will now turn their focus to rebuilding the team for future international competitions.
More Read
The outcome ends Nigeria’s World Cup dreams for 2026, leaving the Super Eagles’ fans and players to regroup and look forward to the 2027 African Cup of Nations qualifiers and other international fixtures.
FIFA probes eligibility of DR Congo players amid nationality switch claims
