World football’s governing body, FIFA, is scheduled to announce its decision on Monday, February 16th, concerning Nigeria’s protest regarding the eligibility of several DR Congo players.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) lodged a formal complaint in December, alleging that at least six DR Congo players who participated in the 2025 African play-off final had recently changed nationalities, rendering them ineligible to represent the Central African nation.
Nigeria’s senior national team, Super Eagles, narrowly missed out on progression to Inter-continental playoff after a 1-1 draw in regular time, losing 4-3 on penalties in the decisive fixture.
A favourable ruling from FIFA would see the Super Eagles advance to the Intercontinental Play-Off tournament in Mexico in March. Success there would secure one of Africa’s remaining spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The verdict holds significant implications for Nigeria’s World Cup aspirations.
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