March 17, (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s bid to overturn their 2026 World Cup playoff elimination has suffered a serious blow, after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee dismissed the Nigeria Football Federation’s petition seeking the disqualification of DR Congo.
The ruling, communicated to the NFF on Tuesday, upholds DR Congo’s 4-3 penalty shootout victory at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on November 16, 2025, following a 1-1 draw after normal time. DR Congo will proceed to the intercontinental playoff tournament in Mexico from March 26 to 31, entering the final bracket to face the winner of the New Caledonia-Jamaica path.
NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi confirmed the federation’s dissatisfaction and its intent to challenge the decision. “We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition,” he said. “I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision.” The federation has fewer than 10 days to file before DR Congo’s first playoff fixture.
The NFF lodged its original complaint in December 2025, days after the Super Eagles were knocked out. It alleged that up to nine DR Congo players were ineligible, having held French and Dutch passports in violation of Congolese law barring dual nationality and of FIFA eligibility rules governing nationality switches. DR Congo’s federation, FECOFA, rejected the claims in full, labelling Nigeria “bad losers” and stating that the World Cup “must be played with dignity and confidence. Not with lawyers’ tricks.”
FIFA’s investigation found the evidence insufficient to justify disqualification or a forfeiture of the result. Both federations received separate sanctions for fan misconduct during the November fixture, though those penalties carry no bearing on the outcome. Should the NFF’s appeal to FIFA’s Appeals Committee fail, Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup campaign will be over, extending the Super Eagles’ absence from the tournament to a third consecutive edition.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
