The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally petitioned FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players by the DR Congo national football team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs.
Details of the protest letter recently surfaced online after it was shared by UK-based journalist Osasu Obayiuwana. The three-page document outlines Nigeria’s formal challenge following the Nigeria national football team narrow defeat to DR Congo in November.
In the letter, the NFF alleges that some players fielded by the Congolese team — including Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe — were not eligible to represent the country.
Nigeria’s argument is based on the constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which reportedly does not allow dual citizenship for adults. According to the NFF, the players in question still possess European passports, which could make their Congolese nationality invalid under the country’s laws.
The federation therefore asked FIFA to conduct a forensic investigation into the documents used during the players’ nationality switch process.
If the protest is upheld, Nigeria is seeking a forfeit victory, a decision that could see the Super Eagles replace DR Congo in the upcoming Intercontinental Play-offs scheduled to be held in Mexico.
The emergence of the letter has reignited hope among Nigerian football fans, though uncertainty remains as FIFA has yet to issue a final ruling.
Adding to the confusion, some official accreditation lists released for the March playoffs still include the DR Congo team, leading to speculation that Nigeria’s appeal may not succeed.
However, NFF officials have urged supporters to disregard unofficial reports, insisting that they are still waiting for formal communication from FIFA headquarters in Zurich.
A final decision is expected soon as the global playoff matches are set to begin later this month.
