BREAKING: Super Eagles could qualify for World Cup as FIFA launches probe against DR Congo

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into DR Congo’s alleged use of ineligible players during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a move that could potentially reopen Nigeria’s path to the tournament set for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

DR Congo eliminated Nigeria from the African play-offs in November following a dramatic 4–3 penalty shootout victory in Morocco, ending the Super Eagles’ bid to advance to the FIFA intercontinental play-off.

The Congolese team has since received a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off, where they are slated to face the winner of the semi-final clash between New Caledonia and Jamaica.

However, their spot in the final may now be under scrutiny after the NFF raised concerns over the eligibility of several DR Congo players fielded during the African play-offs.

Reports indicate that between six and nine players who switched national allegiance may not have fully complied with Congolese legal requirements before representing the country.

Although FIFA reportedly cleared the players on the basis of their possession of valid DR Congo passports, it is alleged that they did not formally renounce their previous citizenships, contrary to the Congolese constitution, which prohibits dual nationality.

“NFF has done the needful,” a member of the federation’s executive board disclosed while speaking with PUNCH Online.

“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 also confirmed that the federation has challenged the players’ switch.

“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” Sanusi said. “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.

“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” he added. “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.”

The development has reignited hopes for Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after missing out on back-to-back editions following their failure to make the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, has made only one FIFA World Cup appearance, in 1974.

Today’s fixtures in EPL, La Liga, Serie,Bundesliga, Serie A & other major Leagues in Europe

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥ENGLAND : Premier League
13:30 Liverpool – Everton
16:00 Brighton – Tottenham Hotspur
16:00 Burnley – Nottingham Forest
16:00 West Ham United – Crystal Palace
16:00 Wolves – Leeds United
18:30 Manchester United – Chelsea
21:00 Fulham – Brentford

SPAIN : LaLiga
14:00 Girona – Levante
16:15 Real Madrid – Espanyol
18:30 Deportivo Alavés – Sevilla
18:30 Villarreal – Osasuna
21:00 Valencia – Athletic Club

SPAIN : Liga F
12:00 Espanyol – Athletic Club
12:00 Granada – Eibar
16:00 Levante Badalona – Logrono
18:30 Real Sociedad – Levante

ITALY : Serie A
15:00 Bologna – Genoa
18:00 Hellas Verona – Juventus
20:45 Udinese – AC Milan

GERMANY : Bundesliga
15:30 Augsburg – Mainz 05
15:30 Hamburger SV – FC Heidenheim
15:30 Hoffenheim – Bayern Munich
15:30 Werder Bremen – Freiburg
18:30 RB Leipzig – FC Cologne

FRANCE : Ligue 1
17:00 Nantes – Rennes
19:00 Brest – Nice
21:05 Lens – Lille

🏴ENGLAND : Championship
13:30 Birmingham City – Swansea City
13:30 Leicester City – Coventry City
13:30 QPR – Stoke City
16:00 Blackburn Rovers – Ipswich Town
16:00 Derby County – Preston North End
16:00 Hull City – Southampton
16:00 Norwich City – Wrexham
16:00 Portsmouth – Sheffield Wednesday
16:00 Sheffield United – Charlton Athletic

🇿🇦SOUTH AFRICA : Betway Premiership
15:00 Magesi FC – Siwelele FC
15:00 Sekhukhune United – Lamontville Golden Arrows
17:30 Stellenbosch FC – Richards Bay
20:00 Mamelodi Sundowns FC – Durban City FC
20:00 Orbit College – Marumo Gallants

🇸🇦SAUDI ARABIA Professional League
17:40 Al Hazm – Al Fateh
17:40 Al Najma – Al Ittihad
20:00 Al Nassr – Al Riyadh

*🇧🇪BELGIUM :Belgian Pro League*
16:00 Oud-Heverlee Leuven – Raal La Louveire
18:15 Sporting Charleroi – Zulte Waregem
20:45 Anderlecht – Royal Antwerp

*🇵🇹PORTUGAL : Primeira Liga*
16:30 Nacional – Arouca
16:30 Santa Clara – Alverca
19:00 AVS Futebol SAD – Benfica
21:30 Vitoria de Guimarães – SC Braga

*🇩🇰DENMARK : Superliga*
18:00 FC Midtjylland – Viborg

*🇳🇱NETHERLANDS : Eredivisie*
16:30 FC Volendam – Excelsior
18:45 FC Groningen – Telstar
20:00 Fortuna Sittard – FC Utrecht
21:00 NAC Breda – Heracles

*🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿SCOTLAND : Premiership*
16:00 Dundee FC – Livingston

*🇹🇷TURKIYE : Super Lig*
16:00 Gençlerbirligi – Eyupspor
19:00 Antalyaspor – Kayserispor
19:00 Trabzonspor – Gaziantep FK

*🇸🇪SWEDEN : Allsvenskan*
15:00 GAIS – Elfsborg
15:00 Malmo FF – Djurgaarden
17:30 Mjaellaby – Oester IF
> Cold

Line up for EPL match between Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest announced

• ARSENAL XI: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Odegaard; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze.

• NOTTINGHAM FOREST XI: Sels; Morato, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangaré; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.