Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup Hopes Revived as DR Congo Face Player Eligibility Probe

Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have received a potential lifeline following a probe initiated by the Nigeria Football Federation into the eligibility of players fielded by DR Congo during the African qualifiers.

The NFF confirmed it has formally petitioned FIFA over concerns that several DR Congo players who featured in the decisive play-off matches may have been ineligible under the country’s domestic laws. The development could reopen Nigeria’s path to the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Nigeria were knocked out of the African play-offs in November after losing 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in Morocco, a defeat that appeared to end the Super Eagles’ qualification campaign. DR Congo subsequently advanced and were handed a bye into the final of the FIFA intercontinental play-off, where they are due to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica.

That progression is now under scrutiny following claims that between six and nine DR Congo players who switched national allegiance may not have completed the required legal processes under Congolese law before representing the country. Reports indicate that while FIFA cleared the players after confirming they held valid DR Congo passports, questions remain over whether they formally renounced previous citizenships, as DR Congo’s constitution does not permit dual nationality.

A member of the NFF executive board said the federation has submitted all relevant documents to FIFA, noting that the issue revolves around alleged violations of Congolese constitutional provisions rather than FIFA regulations alone.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed that the federation has challenged the legitimacy of the players’ nationality switches. He explained that although FIFA rules allow players to represent a country once they possess a valid passport, the NFF believes FIFA may have been misled, as it does not enforce domestic nationality laws and relies on documents presented to it.

According to Sanusi, some of the players in question still hold European passports, including French and Dutch citizenships, which would conflict with DR Congo’s prohibition of dual nationality. He described the situation as a fraudulent process that requires further examination.

The ongoing probe has renewed optimism in Nigeria, which risks missing consecutive World Cup tournaments after also failing to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar. DR Congo, for their part, have appeared at the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.