The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has had its petition over the alleged ineligibility of a player fielded by the Fédération Congolaise de Football Association dismissed, effectively ending the Super Eagles’ chances of returning to contention for a place at the 2026 World Cup via the intercontinental play-off route.
A source familiar with the matter told Naija News that world football governing body FIFA reached its final decision on Monday, February 17, and has formally notified the federations involved. The source added that FIFA instructed parties not to publicly announce the ruling, as only the global body is authorised to release it officially.
According to the source, FIFA concluded that the NFF’s arguments were insufficient to block DR Congo from progressing to the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March, leading to the dismissal of Nigeria’s complaint.
The outcome means the Super Eagles will not feature in the six-nation intercontinental play-off tournament, extinguishing their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The dispute stemmed from Nigeria’s 4-3 penalty shoot-out loss to DR Congo in Morocco last November during the African play-off final, a defeat that denied the Super Eagles direct qualification for the expanded tournament.
On December 15, 2025, the NFF formally petitioned FIFA, alleging that six Congolese players who had recently switched international allegiance were ineligible to feature in the decisive match. At the time, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi expressed confidence in the strength of Nigeria’s case, while National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko also voiced optimism about a favourable outcome.
Speculation had circulated ahead of the verdict, with reports suggesting that Congolese officials and other Francophone football figures were lobbying within FIFA structures. Despite such claims, FIFA’s review ultimately found no grounds to overturn the match result.
With the petition dismissed, DR Congo remains on course to participate in the March intercontinental play-offs, where the final World Cup qualification slots will be decided.
The NFF may still challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the independent body that handles global sports disputes, though it is unclear whether the federation will pursue that option.