Nigeria’s hope of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially ended after FIFA dismissed the country’s appeal against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The world football governing body ruled that Nigeria’s protest over the eligibility of some DR Congo players lacked sufficient grounds. With that decision, the Super Eagles’ qualification campaign has been brought to a close.
The appeal followed Nigeria’s loss to DR Congo in the CAF intercontinental playoff final held on November 16 in Rabat, Morocco. The encounter ended 1–1 after regulation time, before DR Congo edged Nigeria 4–3 in a penalty shootout.
Nigeria took an early lead in the match through Victor Osimhen, who converted a well-taken opportunity to put the Super Eagles ahead. DR Congo later responded, with Cédric Bakambu scoring the equaliser to drag the tense contest into penalties.
Following the defeat, the Nigeria Football Federation submitted a formal petition to FIFA. The complaint questioned the eligibility of certain DR Congo players who featured in the playoff, citing alleged breaches of competition regulations.
However, FIFA’s review panel concluded that the players in question were properly registered and cleared to participate. The football body also stated that no violations of its statutes or CAF competition rules were established.
As a result, DR Congo’s qualification for the intercontinental playoffs remains valid, while Nigeria has been eliminated from the race to the 2026 World Cup.
The decision has sparked disappointment among Nigerian fans, many of whom had hoped the appeal would offer a lifeline after the painful loss on penalties.
It also marks another setback for the Super Eagles following a challenging qualification series.
