Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) are now embroiled in a tense off-field battle that could dramatically change Africa’s road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A match that ended in a 1–1 draw and penalties has turned into a legal and political storm, raising questions about player eligibility and fairness.
On November 16 in Morocco, Nigeria and DR Congo played the African World Cup playoff final. After 120 minutes of football, the teams were tied 1–1. DR Congo won in the penalty shootout and earned a place in the intercontinental playoff in March, where they will face a South American team for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Despite the result on the field, Nigeria is challenging the outcome. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) submitted a complaint to FIFA, claiming DR Congo used ineligible players in the decisive match.
The dispute focuses on players who recently switched international allegiance to DR Congo. Notable names include Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, both of whom played in Morocco.
According to the NFF, these players should not have been allowed to represent DR Congo because Congolese law does not recognize dual nationality. While FIFA cleared the players for international duty, Nigeria says this violated national law and could make them ineligible.
NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi explained the situation: “Our contention is that Fifa was deceived into clearing them.”
He added: “The Congolese rule (law) says you cannot have dual nationality, but some of their players have European and French passports. There is what we consider to be a breach of (Fifa’s) regulations. We are saying it was fraudulent.”
Nigeria has submitted supporting documents and legal arguments to FIFA. The NFF hopes that FIFA will review the case and potentially overturn DR Congo’s qualification.
DR Congo has rejected the claims, calling the complaint an attempt to “win via the back door.” Fecofa, the Congolese Football Federation, said: “The World Cup must be played with dignity and confidence. Not with lawyers’ tricks.”
The federation also criticized Nigeria’s approach, calling them “bad losers” and dismissing the complaint as poor sportsmanship.
The controversy highlights a clash between FIFA rules and national law. FIFA statutes allow a player to switch the national team they represent only once. The process requires a written request and FIFA approval through its Players Status Committee.
FIFA rules require a player to hold a passport for the country they represent, but they also allow a player to hold multiple passports. This creates tension with Congolese law, which forbids dual nationality. Nigeria argues this should render the players ineligible.
If FIFA formally reviews Nigeria’s complaint, several outcomes are possible.
FIFA could dismiss the case if evidence is deemed insufficient. In that scenario, DR Congo’s qualification would remain unchanged.
Alternatively, FIFA might investigate and impose administrative sanctions, such as fines or warnings, without changing the match result.
In the most serious scenario, sporting sanctions could be applied. FIFA or CAF could order a forfeit, award the match to Nigeria, or impose other penalties if deliberate rule breaches are found.
Past cases give context to Nigeria’s hopes. During the 2026 qualifiers, FIFA deducted six points from Equatorial Guinea after captain Emilio Nsue was ruled ineligible due to prior appearances for Spain’s youth teams. Although later reversed, Equatorial Guinea never recovered the points.
South Africa also experienced a reversal when their win over Lesotho in qualifiers was overturned because they fielded a suspended player. Lesotho was awarded a 3–0 victory.
These cases show that FIFA has precedent for taking strict action when player eligibility is violated.
As of now, African football fans are watching closely. Nigeria hopes for a second chance at the World Cup, while DR Congo insists that their win was legitimate.
The final decision from FIFA could reshape the African qualification path, leaving one side celebrating and the other heartbroken.
With emotions running high, one thing is clear: Africa’s road to the 2026 World Cup is no longer just decided on the pitch.
