The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has commenced the process of appealing the ruling of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which dismissed its petition against DR Congo over player eligibility in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African play-off.

Nigeria lost the final match 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco, on November 16, 2025, but the NFF challenged the eligibility of several Congolese players, alleging irregularities in the issuance of passports.

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The federation had submitted its petition to FIFA shortly after the match, citing what it described as fraudulent processes that enabled certain players to qualify for the play-offs.

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After months of deliberation, FIFA rejected the protest, a decision the NFF has now formally challenged.

“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied,” said Mohammed Sanusi, NFF general secretary.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision.”

Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.

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