Nigeria dey go World Cup 2026? How far Fifa verdict on DRC

Nigerian football fans dey wait to see if dia protest to football joinbodi Fifa, against DR Congo wey beat dem for di African playoff final go dey successful.

Di Super Eagles wey lose dat final 4-3 on penalties submit dia complaint say DR Congo bin use ineligible players - players wey no qualify.

Wit dat playoff final win, DR Congo go play intercontinental qualifier in March wey go decide which two teams go enta di world cup for Canada, Mexico and United States.

But di Super Eagles say dem no go gree; dem file petition to Fifa say some of di players wey di Leopards of DR Congo use for dat game, no qualify to play.

Details of di Nigeria protest to Fifa

Nigeria tell Fifa say wetin DR Congo do be "fraud" sake of some of di players wey recently switch dia nationality to play for di Leopards, no dey eligible to play for dem.

Di federation believe say players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka wey dey play for Westham, Axel Tuanzebe wey dey play for Burnley and Tephy Mavididi wey dey play for Leicester City, no dey eligible sake of DR Congo no dey allow dual citizenship.

"We believe say dem deceive Fifa to clear dem," Nigeria football federation secretary Mohammed Sanusi tok at di time dem file di complaint.

"For Congolese rule, pesin no fit get dual nationality but some of dia players get European and French passport."

"Dis be wetin we dey tok say na breach of Fifa regulation. We dey tok say na fraud."

Di NFF say dem bin present document and oda legal arguments to Fifa for dis mata wey dem dey expect positive ruling.

DR Congo reject di claims

Di Congolese football federation (Fecofa) say wetin Nigeria dey try to do na "to win through di back door."

Dem bin reject di Nigerian federation protest.

Fecofa for dia response say "pipo gatz to play di World cup wit dignity and confidence, no be to play am wit lawyers and tricks".

On top dia official federation social media page, Fecofa tok say "Nigeria be bad losers" wey dem throway di complaint as "poor sportsmanship."

'Nigerian get high anticipation for dis verdict'

If Fifa check di evidence wey dem assess everitin for dis case, dem go decide many tins.

Dem go throway di petition if dem find say di Nigerian football federation no get "sufficient evidence" for dia case.

If dis hapun, e go mean say DR Congo go keep dia spot and play for di intercontinental playoff.

If Fifa chook eye for di case wey dem find say di process dem use to clear di three players to switch nationality and play for DRC no follow di rules, dem fit punish di federation wit fines or oda tins, but di results no go change.

For di most serious case – Fifa and Caf fit order or call di match to di oda team or remove points from di team if dem dey play for tournament like group stage or sometin.

Dis be wia Nigerian football fans dey hope say Fifa go rule for dia favour, sake of recently, dem use dis kind punishment "when federations breach administrative or player-registration rules – like when dem use lies take register di player or dem use details wey no be correct or true."

Fifa collect six points from Equatorial Guinea for di 2026 World cup qualifiers afta dem use dia captain Emilio Nsue for di games afta dem bin find say he play for di youth teams for Spain bifor.

Later, Fifa reverse dat decision for March 2025, in fact Nsue even play for di recent Afcon for Morocco serf.

Even though dem lift di ban on di veteran striker, di court of arbitration for sports (Cas) bin uphold di deduction of six points for dia world cup qualifiers.

Anoda team wey suffer dis kind decision be South Africa – Fifa overturn dia victory against Lesotho for di 2026 World cup qualifiers sake of dem use player wey dey suspended for dat game.

Fifa bin award Lesotho three points wit 3-0 victory.

Nigerian fans believe say dem get case – wit di recent decisions and ruling on dis eligibility cases, dem dey hopeful say Fifa go cancel dat African playoff final and award Super Eagles di victory.

If e hapun, e go now open di World cup qualification – for Nigeria to compete for di intercontinental playoff from 23-31 March 2026.

Fifa never rule yet for di case

Tori bin dey trend since Monday say Fifa don rule in favour of Nigeria for dis petition.

Checks for di official Fifa pages wey dey in charge of legal cases, neva share any update for dis case.

Dem also never yet respond to BBC News Pidgin message for clarification.

But local media bin quote di NFF tok-tok pesin Ademola Olajire say im respond to di rumours.

One sports website 234Sports quote oga Ademola Olajire say, "reports wey dey suggest say Fifa don rule for our favour or for DRC no dey accurate; dem dey misleading".

"Fifa no release any decision at dis time, any tori wey dey claim say dem do di ruling be false. Fifa also never tell NFF or di Fecofa anytin about dis ruling," he tok.

Nigeria finish di 2025 Afcon for third place. Dem fail to qualify for di world cup.

But di fans and oda Nigerians go hope say somehow, dem fit get chance to play di playoff – to enta Mexico, Canada and di US.