Nigeria's quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been reignited following a formal complaint to the global football body over the eligibility of players fielded by the Democratic Republic of Congo during their decisive playoff clash.
Nigeria's Formal Complaint and Dikko's Confidence
National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Shehu Dikko, has stated with conviction that Nigeria's case against DR Congo is robust and firmly rooted in FIFA's regulations. This comes after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) submitted an official protest concerning the Congolese team's use of several dual-nationality players during the two-legged playoff in November.
Dikko, speaking in an interview on Arise Television, clarified that the complaint was not a reaction to the painful playoff defeat, where the Super Eagles lost 4-3 on penalties on November 16. He revealed that Nigerian football authorities had begun scrutinizing the DR Congo squad as early as November 1, nearly two weeks before the first leg match on November 13.
"This issue did not start because we lost the playoffs," Dikko emphasized, highlighting the proactive nature of the investigation.
The Core of the Eligibility Dispute
The heart of the controversy revolves around DR Congo's inclusion of between six to nine players who, according to reports, had switched their international allegiance but may not have completed the mandatory renunciation of their European passports as required by Congolese law.
Nigeria's argument is that these players were not eligible to represent DR Congo in the World Cup qualifiers until they received official clearance from FIFA. Dikko pointed out the red flag raised when the Congolese squad list was announced.
"When we saw the squad that was put in place for the playoffs... we found out from the beginning that the Congolese had already named players of other nationalities who had not been cleared by FIFA," he stated.
This discovery prompted Nigerian officials to closely monitor the situation ahead of the crucial matches. Dikko posed a critical question: "What gave them the confidence to name a player of another nationality in their squad to play a match two weeks later, when he wasn't qualified to play for them until the day before? That raised alarm for us after the qualifiers."
Potential Consequences and FIFA's Investigation
The Nigerian authorities have now pressed FIFA to conduct a thorough investigation. Dikko described the case as "very tight" and fully compliant with the governing body's statutes.
If FIFA's investigation confirms that DR Congo did field ineligible players, the consequences could be severe. Possible sanctions range from heavy fines to the ultimate penalty: disqualification from the intercontinental playoff spot they earned by defeating Nigeria. Such a decision could potentially revive Nigeria's World Cup aspirations.
Nigeria is not alone in raising concerns; Cameroon has also lodged similar complaints regarding player eligibility. The football world now awaits FIFA's verdict, which will have significant implications for the final intercontinental playoff lineup for the 2026 World Cup.
In a related context, it was noted that Nigeria itself had previously navigated potential FIFA sanctions regarding dual-nationality players wisely. Past instances, such as those involving Kingsley Ehizibue and Tobias Lawal, who were unable to switch to Nigeria due to restrictions in the Netherlands and Austria, were cited as examples where the NFF adhered strictly to the rules, thus avoiding punitive measures.
