One of the most controversial topics of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers arose specifically in Africa. The Nigerian national team lost to DR Congo in a penalty shootout in the decisive round, moving away from their World Cup dream. The winning Congolese team advanced to the intercontinental playoffs. According to Reuters, the Nigerian Football Federation subsequently filed an official complaint with FIFA, questioning the legal status of some players playing for the DR Congo.
The main claim of the Nigerian side is that some players who played for the DR Congo are born in European countries and have dual citizenship. Nigerian Football Federation Secretary-General Mohammed Sanusi believes that some of them have not fully resolved the issue of second citizenship in the manner required by the domestic legislation of the DR Congo. Therefore, Abouja suggests that FIFA may have made a decision based on incorrect or misleading information.
However, for now, the most important point is this: there is no reliable official confirmation that FIFA has made a decision in favor of Nigeria. In an investigation published by Africa Check on 24 February, it was noted that no evidence was found to support claims that "FIFA has put Nigeria directly into the playoffs," and that FIFA had not yet issued an official verdict as of 23 February.
Therefore, claims in some sources that "Nigeria will replace DR Congo this week" remain at the level of rumors for now. In practice, on the official FIFA page and in the tournament materials, the name of the DR Congo is preserved among the participants of the intercontinental playoffs. According to FIFA and other reliable sources, Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname are expected to participate in the playoffs.
The intercontinental playoffs themselves are scheduled to take place in Mexico on March 26 and 31. According to the draw, the DR Congo will play the winner of the Jamaica - New Caledonia pair. So, so far all calculations have been made with the participation of Congolese citizens, but due to a Nigerian complaint, there is still uncertainty surrounding this route.
Why is this situation important? Because in the fight for qualification for the 2026 World Cup, even a single legal decision can change the entire tournament tree. So far, the official picture is as follows: DR Congo plays. But until FIFA says the last word, this topic has not yet been closed. In football, sometimes it's not the goal that matters, but the document.
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