Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may receive a significant lift following recent developments concerning DR Congo’s eligibility in the playoff stage.

DR Congo had beaten the Super Eagles on penalties in November to secure Africa’s place in the Intercontinental Playoffs.

However, fresh reports indicate that the Congolese side could face sanctions for allegedly fielding ineligible players, potentially reopening Nigeria’s pathway to the playoffs scheduled for March 2026.

According to the reports, as many as six DR Congo players who switched national allegiance might not have completed the full eligibility process required under FIFA regulations.

At the heart of the controversy is the allegation that these players failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships, a crucial requirement, since DR Congo does not recognize dual nationality.

Additional claims suggest that some of the players who featured in the playoff match were over 21 and held European passports, which could contravene eligibility rules.

Confirming Nigeria’s official position, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, revealed that a formal protest has been lodged with FIFA, challenging the eligibility of certain DR Congo players over alleged breaches of FIFA’s nationality rules.

“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have a dual citizenship or nationality. Wan-Bissaka has a European passport, there are some of them that have French passports, some of them Dutch passports,” Sanusi said. “The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.”

Sanusi explained that FIFA’s initial clearance of the players was based on information provided by the Congolese federation, but Nigeria believes the process may have been compromised.

“That’s why FIFA cleared them. FIFA rules say once you have passports of your country, you’re eligible, as far as FIFA is concerned, they are eligible and that’s why they were cleared,” he added. “But right now, our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not the responsibility of FIFA to ensure that the regulations of Congo are followed. FIFA goes by its own regulations, and it was on the basis of what was submitted to FIFA that they cleared them. What we are saying is that it was fraudulent.”

If FIFA ultimately rules in Nigeria’s favour, the Super Eagles could be reinstated into contention for the Intercontinental Playoffs in Mexico, provided the matches have not already been contested.