Nigeria’s football federation has formally filed a complaint with world governing body FIFA over the Democratic Republic of Congo’s use of players they claim were ineligible during the African play‑off final for the 2026 World Cup qualification, saying several squad members did not comply with Congolese nationality laws, allegedly breaching eligibility rules, the federation has said.

The Nigerian Football Federation filed the complaint after the Super Eagles were eliminated by DR Congo on penalties in the CAF playoff final on 16 November, losing 4-3, a defeat that prevented Nigeria from advancing to the intercontinental playoff stage for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Officials argue that DR Congo fielded multiple dual nationality players who, under Congolese law, should have been barred from representing the national team.

Reports suggest that between six and nine players may have switched international allegiances without giving up their European passports before playing for Congo, potentially violating domestic regulations.

“The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual nationality,”

NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi told reporters.

“There are so many of them that have European passports, some of them French passports, some of them Dutch passports. The rules are very clear. We cannot say anything now but we have submitted our protest to FIFA. There are players that got theirs in just three months. So there is to us, what is considered as a breach of the regulation. That is why we took that decision.”

While FIFA regulations only require players to hold the passport of the country they represent, Sanusi argues the governing body was misled because it is not responsible for enforcing DR Congo’s domestic nationality laws. “The FIFA rules are different from DR Congo rules, that is why FIFA cleared them,” he said.

“FIFA Regulations say once you have the passport of your country, you are eligible. As far as we are concerned, they are eligible that is why they are cleared by FIFA. But our contention is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them because it is not the responsibility of FIFA to make sure that the regulations of Congo are abided by. FIFA goes by its own regulations, and it was on the basis of what was presented to FIFA that they cleared them. But we are saying that it was fraudulent.”

FIFA has yet to respond to the complaint, but NFF officials say that the issue is under investigation and a decision is expected before the March intercontinental playoffs. If successful, the appeal could reopen Nigeria’s pathway to the World Cup finals, marking a second chance in the same qualifying series. In a previous round, South Africa were sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player and docked three points, though Nigeria had finished second behind Bafana Bafana and were unable to benefit at the time.