The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) football federation has issued a scathing warning to Nigeria and the Super Eagles, telling them not to seek 2026 World Cup qualification through the “backdoor.”
The tension follows a petition filed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to FIFA. Nigeria is challenging the eligibility of several Congolese players used in their recent play-off, which saw DR Congo win 4–3 on penalties in Morocco.
While the Leopards have already been handed a bye into the intercontinental play-off final to face either New Caledonia or Jamaica, the NFF alleges that between six and nine of their players failed to comply with Congolese law regarding dual nationality.
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In a defiant response shared on their official X account on Wednesday, the Congolese federation accused Nigeria of using “legal tricks” to overturn the match result:“If you can’t win on the pitch, don’t try to win from the back door. The World Cup must be played with dignity and confidence — not with legal tricks. Bring it on.”
To bolster their defense, the Central African body shared images of players who switched allegiances—including former Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka—meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi.
They also referenced FIFA’s “Change of Association platform” to show that the switches were finalized through official channels.
However, Nigeria insists the process was flawed because the Congolese constitution does not permit dual citizenship.
An NFF executive board member confirmed the move, stating:“NFF has done the needful. Their constitution does not allow dual citizenship, and about six to nine players had that status during the play-off. That is the loophole we are exploring. Our lawyers must have submitted the relevant documents to FIFA as well.”
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, further explained that while FIFA cleared the players based on their Congolese passports, the NFF believes the documentation provided was misleading:“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, others Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.”
Sanusi added that the core of the protest is a claim of deception:“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”
If the petition is successful, it could provide a lifeline for Nigeria, who are currently facing the prospect of missing two consecutive World Cups. DR Congo, on the other hand, is fighting to secure its first appearance since 1974, when it competed as Zaire.
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