The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has criticised Nigeria for petitioning football world governing body, FIFA , over the alleged use of ineligible players during the 2026 World Cup playoffs in Morocco, insisting that the Super Eagles should not attempt to qualify “from the back door” after losing on penalties.

In a statement released on its official Instagram page on Tuesday night, the Congolese team declared, “If you can’t win on the pitch don’t try to win from the back door. The World Cup has to be played with dignity and confidence. Not with lawyers tricks. Bring it on. Allez y les Leopards. Bad losers.”

The response followed confirmation by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that it had submitted a petition to FIFA, alleging that nine players fielded by DR Congo were ineligible under Congolese law.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explained the basis of the petition, saying, “The Nigerian petition is on nine players of DRC. FIFA were deceived into clearing those players because it is not FIFA’s responsibility to interpret or enforce domestic citizenship laws.”

Sanusi argued that Congolese law does not permit dual citizenship, yet some of the players involved reportedly hold dual nationality.

He added, “FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”

DR Congo defeated Nigeria in a penalty shootout to secure a place in the Intercontinental Playoffs scheduled for Mexico in March 2026, keeping their hopes of World Cup qualification alive.

The dispute has rekindled debate among Nigerian football supporters, many of whom remain hopeful that FIFA’s review of the petition could alter the outcome.

Nigeria last appeared at the World Cup in 2018 and missed the 2022 edition in Qatar, raising concerns that another absence in 2026 would deepen the disappointment of fans across the country.

The matter is now before FIFA, which will determine whether DR Congo breached eligibility rules. Should Nigeria’s petition succeed, the Super Eagles could be reinstated into contention for the Intercontinental Playoffs scheduled to take place in Mexico in March 2026, provided the fixtures have not already been played.