NFF Denies Reports of FIFA Rejecting Appeal Over DR Congo Eligibility Claims
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has firmly denied widespread media reports claiming that FIFA has dismissed its formal petition challenging the eligibility of certain Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) players.
The petition concerns the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in which DR Congo defeated Nigeria’s Super Eagles 4-3 in a penalty shootout, a result that effectively ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament.
In a statement, NFF Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi, clarified the situation, stating that the federation has not received any official communication from the world football governing body regarding the appeal’s dismissal.
“The matter remains under review by the federation, and we have not been notified of any decision to reject our petition,” Sanusi said. “We urge the public and media to disregard these speculations and await an official statement from FIFA.”
The NFF’s petition alleges that some players who featured for DR Congo in the crucial qualifiers were not eligible to represent the Central African nation. If proven, such an infringement could lead to a forfeiture of the match, potentially reviving Nigeria’s World Cup qualification chances.
FIFA has yet to make a public comment on the status of the investigation. The football world now awaits an official ruling from the governing body, which will determine the final outcome of the contested match and the subsequent impact on Group B of the CAF World Cup qualifiers.
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