The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says FIFA is yet to pass a ruling on its petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for allegedly fielding ineligible players during the World Cup playoffs.
NFF general secretary, Muhammad Sanusi spoke on Saturday in a chat with the African Independent Television (AIT).
Earlier this month, the NFF confirmed that a letter of complaint had been sent to FIFA, accusing the Congolese FA of deceiving FIFA into clearing players for its national team despite their status contravening the country’s citizenship laws.
NFF claimed that DR Congo laws state that ‘you cannot have dual nationality’, adding that several members of the Leopards squad at the playoffs hold both European and Congolese passports.
In recent weeks, however, there have been reports online that FIFA had struck out Nigeria’s case against DR Congo for lack of evidence.
Responding to the rumours, Sanusi said the NFF is yet to receive any decision concerning its petition from FIFA.
He added that since NFF authors the complaint to FIFA, the official response channel will be directly to the federation before the general public.
‘Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) wrote to FIFA on the ineligibility of some of the players of DR Congo, and if there is anything, it is not the public that FIFA will reply to but the NFF’, the NFF general secretary said.
‘As I am talking to you, I have not seen any letter from FIFA saying they have thrown away our protest’.
DR Congo defeated the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties in the final of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.
The Congolese qualified for the inter-confederational playoffs, where they have been paired against the winners of the match between Jamaica and New Caledonia. The final of the final game will grab one of the final tickets for the World Cup.
Several members of the DR Congo squad for the African playoffs are foreign-born and have only recently been cleared to play for the country.
DR Congo does not recognise dual nationality. Children born abroad to Congolese parents can have dual citizenship until they turn 21, when they must renounce their other country.
