Nigeria Triggers Legal Fight Over World Cup Qualifier; Congo Responds with Mockery
18 December 2025
The Allegation
Nigeria has formally appealed to FIFA, alleging that the Democratic Republic of Congo fielded ineligible players during Africa’s World Cup playoff matches for 2026.
DR Congo had defeated Nigeria on penalties last month, keeping its dream of reaching the finals alive and advancing to the global playoff scheduled for March.
Nigeria argues that Congo allowed several dual-nationality players to participate without meeting the required legal criteria.
Mohammed Sanusi, the Nigeria Football Federation secretary-general, told reporters that Congo’s laws reportedly prohibit dual citizenship.
He added that many players reportedly hold European passports—some French, others Dutch—and FIFA rules state a player becomes eligible once they hold the passport of the country they represent.
Sanusi continued that FIFA could be misled when allowing participation, since verifying players’ adherence to local nationality rules is not FIFA’s responsibility, which relies on its own regulations and submitted documents. Nigeria believes what happened was an act of deception.
In response, DR Congo’s football federation rejected the accusations via a social media statement: “If you cannot win on the pitch, do not try to win through the back door.”
The statement also urged playing the World Cup with dignity and trust, not with legal maneuvers. Bring what you have.
The Congo’s Response
The Congo federation dismissed the charges as unfounded, underscoring that eligibility is governed by FIFA regulations and the documents provided to FIFA, not by political theater.
Meanwhile, Nigeria maintains its position, emphasizing that the integrity of the process matters as much as the outcome.
As the March playoffs approach, the dispute raises questions about how strictly nationality rules are applied and who bears responsibility for enforcement on the pathway to the World Cup.
Punchline 1: If paperwork were a sport, Nigeria and Congo would be blasting through the calendar with a world record for form-filling.
Punchline 2: In football as in tax forms, the real competition is who can find the loophole fastest and still keep a straight face on camera.
