The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has submitted a formal protest to FIFA, alleging that the Democratic Republic of Congo fielded ineligible players during the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup. NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, confirmed on Tuesday that the complaint centers on DR Congo’s citizenship laws, which reportedly prohibit dual nationality, yet several players with European passports featured for the Leopards.

According to Sanusi, FIFA cleared the players based on information supplied by the Congolese Football Association, which the NFF now believes may have been misleading. The federation argues that this directly contravenes DR Congo’s constitution and could amount to a breach of FIFA eligibility regulations, potentially invalidating the match outcome.

The protest could dramatically alter Nigeria’s World Cup fortunes, coming after the Super Eagles’ painful penalty shootout loss to DR Congo in November. Should FIFA uphold the complaint, Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 tournament could be revived, setting the stage for a major shake-up in African World Cup qualifying. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news details and follow us on all our social media platforms.