According to the specialised newspaper, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) filed the protest 12 days after the 16 November 2025 clash with DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco, which the Congolese won 4-3 on penalties to progress to the intercontinental playoffs at the expense of the Super Eagles.
A source told Sports Village Square that the NFF’s complaint was received by FIFA on 28 November 2025, nearly two weeks after the match in Rabat.
According to FIFA regulations, any protest must first be communicated to the match commissioner within two hours of the completion of the match, and then followed by a detailed written submission within 24 hours.
The source further revealed that the mandatory protest fee of 1,000 Swiss francs, which must accompany such submissions, was also not paid. As a result, the case was not formally processed by FIFA’s judicial bodies.
Under the Regulations Governing the Preliminary Competition for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, protests regarding player eligibility must follow strict timelines.
Article 8 of the regulations stipulates that any protest must first be communicated to the match commissioner within two hours of the completion of the match, and then followed by a detailed written submission within 24 hours.
The article states: “Protests regarding the eligibility of players selected for matches in the preliminary competition shall be submitted in writing within two hours of the match and followed by a full written report within 24 hours’.
In the weeks after the match, the NFF raised concerns about the eligibility of several Congolese players, alleging irregularities in the issuance of passports that enabled them to feature in the encounter.
‘The appeal that was widely reported was never actually entertained by the FIFA judicial authorities because it did not meet the procedural requirements’, the source explained, adding that the NFF was formally informed of the situation on 9 March 2026.
It took another week before the Nigerian federation made the decision known, indirectly with a claim of appeal of the judgement.
Under FIFA regulations, a protest must not only meet the deadline but must also include clear reasons, supporting evidence, and the relevant regulatory provisions before the Disciplinary Committee can examine the case.
Because the submission failed to satisfy these procedural conditions, FIFA dismissed the complaint without examining the substance of Nigeria’s allegations regarding player eligibility.
Football legal experts note that strict adherence to procedural timelines is a fundamental principle in international football disputes, and many protests have historically been rejected for similar reasons, regardless of the evidence presented.
Had the protest been properly filed and proven that DR Congo fielded ineligible players under FIFA rules, the consequences could have been severe. Under the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the offending team could face a 3–0 forfeiture of the match, along with possible fines or additional disciplinary sanctions.
Instead, the dismissal of the protest effectively confirms that Nigeria will not be among the 48 teams that will compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
DR Congo still have a lifeline and could qualify if it the team win the playoff match against either New Caledonia or Jamaica on 31 March.
