Nigeria’s petition to FIFA challenging the eligibility of several Democratic Republic of Congo players in the 2026 World Cup playoffs has been described as “very tight” by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, who insists the matter is grounded in law rather than sentiment.
The Super Eagles lost to DR Congo on penalties in Morocco last month, a result that handed the Leopards a place in the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for Mexico in March 2026. However, Nigeria has since lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, alleging that nine Congolese players were ineligible under domestic law, which does not permit dual citizenship.
“Our case is very tight, we’re not sore losers, this is part of the law,” Dikko told Arise TV. “There are suspicions that some things have not been done right in accordance with the laws of the game. They have probably misrepresented their position to FIFA to obtain those clearances. Just two days ago, FIFA ruled against Malaysia on the same issue because they procured the passports of their players illegally, and now they have forfeited all the matches they have played.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has argued that players such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, who featured in the playoff, should not have been cleared to represent DR Congo.
NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, explained, “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. Congolese law does not permit dual nationality, yet some of the players involved reportedly hold European and French passports. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”
Backdoor tactics
DR Congo has dismissed Nigeria’s petition, accusing the Super Eagles of attempting to qualify “from the back door.” In a statement released on its official Instagram page, 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. Bad losers.”
The dispute has reignited debate among Nigerian supporters, many of whom remain hopeful that FIFA’s review could alter the outcome. Nigeria last appeared at the World Cup in 2018 and missed the 2022 edition in Qatar, raising fears that another absence in 2026 would deepen disappointment among fans.
FIFA statutes stipulate that a player may change national association only once, subject to approval by its Players’ Status Committee. While FIFA requires a player to hold a passport of the new nation, Congolese law does not permit dual nationality, creating a potential conflict.
Past cases suggest a range of possible outcomes. FIFA has previously deducted points or overturned results where ineligible players were fielded, as seen with South Africa and Equatorial Guinea during the current qualification cycle. In other instances, sanctions have been limited to fines or warnings.
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 in Mexico, provided the fixtures have not yet been played.
For Dikko, the issue is clear. “This is not about emotions. It is about the law. If rules have been broken, then justice must be served,” he said.
