The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced its decision to appeal the ruling of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which dismissed Nigeria’s petition questioning the eligibility of certain players fielded by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) during the 2026 FIFA World Cup play-off held in Rabat, Morocco, last November.
Nigeria exited the play-offs after a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout loss to DR Congo. In the aftermath, the NFF raised suspicions regarding the legitimacy of some DR Congo players, citing alleged irregularities in the issuance of passports that allowed them to participate in the match.
After months of review, FIFA rejected Nigeria’s petition. In response, the NFF confirmed it has formally initiated an appeal, emphasizing its commitment to pursuing the issue through official channels.
“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the outcome, which rejected our petition. I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately begun the appeal process,” said NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.
Meanwhile, DR Congo has named its squad for the upcoming intercontinental playoff later this month. The team is set to face the winner of the match between Jamaica and New Caledonia, with the victor earning one of the final spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA Fines Nigeria and DR Congo Over Fan Misconduct
Channels Television also reported that FIFA has sanctioned both Nigeria and DR Congo following incidents involving supporters during their World Cup qualification playoff last November.
According to FIFA’s disciplinary report, both federations were found in breach of the FIFA Disciplinary Code due to the behavior of their fans during the match, which DR Congo won on penalties.
Nigeria was fined 1,000 Swiss francs after its supporters were reported to have thrown objects onto the field, violating Articles 17 and 17.2.b of the code. In contrast, the Congolese Football Association received a 5,000 Swiss franc fine after its fans were found guilty of using laser pointers during the game, contravening Article 17.2.d.
FIFA noted that these sanctions were based on the specific circumstances of each case and stated that both decisions are subject to appeal.
