FIFA will on Monday deliver a decisive ruling on Nigeria’s protest against over the alleged fielding of ineligible players — a judgment that could dramatically alter the Super Eagles’ path to the 2026 World Cup.
The meeting, fixed for February 16, will consider the Nigeria Football Federation’s formal complaint concerning six Congolese players who featured in last year’s African play-offs. Nigeria lost that tie on penalties in Morocco, but now argues the outcome was compromised by eligibility breaches.
At stake is more than reputational vindication. A favourable ruling could restore Nigeria to the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico later this month, where one final World Cup slot remains up for grabs.
Officials of the insist their petition, submitted on December 15, 2025, was not speculative but grounded in documentary evidence and legal procedure.
“We believe we have a chance; that is why we petitioned. If we knew we didn’t have a chance, we wouldn’t have petitioned,” NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi stated, maintaining that due process was strictly followed in presenting the case to FIFA.
The controversy centres on FIFA’s regulations governing nationality switches. Under its statutes, a player may change international allegiance only once, and only through a formal process approved and documented by the global body.
Nigeria contends that the Congolese federation misrepresented the nationality status of certain players, particularly against the backdrop of DR Congo’s domestic prohibition of dual citizenship.
Reports suggest Nigeria’s case argues that FIFA may have been misled into granting clearance, even if the paperwork appeared valid at face value.
The dispute has also drawn attention because of the reported involvement of , Secretary-General of , who is of Swiss-Congolese descent and maintains close working ties with , the FIFA President. FIFA is said to be handling the matter cautiously to shield its regulatory credibility.
Both Nigeria and DR Congo are reportedly prepared to escalate the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if dissatisfied with Monday’s verdict, signalling that the legal battle may not end with FIFA’s pronouncement.
Recent precedents in eligibility disputes have reinforced Nigeria’s optimism that FIFA will enforce regulatory consistency, particularly where nationality-switch provisions are concerned.
Should Nigeria’s appeal succeed, the Super Eagles would face the winner of Jamaica versus New Caledonia in Mexico, with a place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico hanging in the balance.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has hinted that a final resolution may ultimately rest with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, regardless of FIFA’s initial determination.
Monday’s decision, therefore, is not merely about a disputed fixture. It carries implications for regulatory integrity in international football and could define how eligibility conflicts are adjudicated in an era shaped by dual citizenship complexities and increasingly globalised careers.
