FIFA dismissed the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) protest against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over player eligibility in their 2026 World Cup African play-off on procedural grounds, veteran football journalist Kunle Solaja has reported.

Nigeria lost the decisive match 4-3 on penalties in Rabat, Morocco, on November 16, 2025, after a 1-1 draw following extra time. The NFF subsequently challenged the eligibility of several DR Congo players, alleging irregularities in passport issuance that allowed them to feature in the fixture.

According to Solaja, who cited an inside source within FIFA, the NFF’s complaint failed to meet the strict procedural requirements outlined in Article 8 of the Regulations Governing the Preliminary Competition for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The protest was submitted on November 28, 2025 – nearly two weeks after the match – well outside the mandatory timeline.

“Protests regarding the eligibility of players must be communicated to the match commissioner within two hours of the completion of the match, and followed by a detailed written submission within 24 hours,” Solaja quoted from the regulations.

The source further revealed that the required protest fee of 1,000 Swiss francs was not paid, meaning the case was never formally processed by FIFA’s judicial bodies.

“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 told Solaja.

The NFF was formally notified of the situation on March 9, 2026, with public confirmation delayed until this week.

With the protest thrown out, DR Congo’s qualification stands, while Nigeria’s campaign for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup—co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—has officially ended. (Vanguard)

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