FIFA Rejects NFF Petition, Appeal Planned

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed FIFA has rejected its petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over the eligibility of several players fielded during the 2026 World Cup playoff clash.

The disclosure was made on Tuesday by NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, who revealed that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee threw out Nigeria’s complaint.

Despite the ruling, which upholds DR Congo’s advancement to the intercontinental playoff stage, Sanusi insisted the federation is not backing down and has already kicked off the appeal process.

In a statement issued to journalists, Sanusi declared: “We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision.”

The petition stemmed from Nigeria’s painful elimination by DR Congo in the final of the CAF World Cup playoff on November 16, 2025, at the Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco. The Super Eagles drew 1-1 after extra time before losing 4-3 on penalties, dashing their hopes of reaching the global tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

NFF officials had accused the Congolese federation of fielding players whose nationality switches raised serious questions, including alleged inconsistencies in documentation and passport issuance. The complaint argued that DR Congo may have misled FIFA in clearing the players, especially given the country’s own laws on dual nationality.

This latest development leaves Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualification campaign hanging by a thread, but the NFF’s swift move to appeal signals its determination to fight till the end.

Football fans across the country are now watching closely as the matter heads to the next stage, with many hoping the appeal will finally deliver justice for the Super Eagles. NaijaChoice News will keep updating readers on every twist in this high-stakes saga.