FIFA has made no reference to Nigeria’s protest over DR Congo’s alleged use of ineligible players in the African play-offs for the 2026 World Cup, despite publishing its CAS and Football Annual Report 2025.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) filed the petition on December 15, 2025, following the Super Eagles’ dramatic penalty shootout defeat in Rabat last November. Nigeria claims that six DR Congo players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, both former England youth internationals, did not meet eligibility requirements under Congolese domestic laws.
Nigeria has asked FIFA to disqualify DR Congo and reinstate the Super Eagles as Africa’s representatives in the Intercontinental Playoff tournament scheduled for Mexico next month. DR Congo has rejected the claims, insisting that FIFA’s rules on sporting nationality, not domestic citizenship laws, govern player eligibility.
Reports suggest a conclusion may already have been reached internally, but only FIFA’s Executive Committee, chaired by Gianni Infantino, can make a formal announcement. The absence of any mention in FIFA’s latest report has heightened anticipation around one of the most closely watched disputes in African football.
Instead, FIFA’s document focused on broader arbitration trends, noting that 77% of all cases registered with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2025 involved football-related matters. It also outlined CAS’s role as the independent body for appeals against FIFA decisions, in line with Article 49 of the FIFA Statutes.
By Adeolu Johnson, Abuja
