Nigeria has not qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but hope is still alive. The Super Eagles are waiting for a decision from FIFA, world football’s governing body, on a protest filed against DR Congo.
Nigeria lost 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in the African playoff final in November 2025, and that defeat ended the team’s direct chance of reaching the World Cup.
However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) challenged the result. The federation told FIFA that some DR Congo players who featured in the match may not have been eligible to play. 
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Why were they not eligible?
The NFF, in a petition in December 2025, claimed that six DR Congo players had issues linked to nationality and eligibility.
Nigeria argued that DR Congo does not fully recognise dual citizenship, yet some of the players held European passports. The NFF believes FIFA may have approved those players based on incomplete or misleading information.
FIFA has not made a decision…yet
FIFA is expected to announce its decision soon, but rumours continue to spread that Nigeria has either qualified or been eliminated. However, the NFF has made it clear that FIFA has not issued any verdict yet.
The federation has also warned Nigerians to ignore reports claiming that FIFA has already ruled in Nigeria’s favour, describing such claims as false.
“There is no decision from FIFA at this time,” the federation said.
This means Nigeria’s World Cup status remains unresolved as of the time of writing this report.
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What could happen next?
If FIFA rejects Nigeria’s protest, DR Congo will keep their win, and Nigeria will miss the 2026 World Cup.
But if FIFA agrees with Nigeria, the Super Eagles could return to the intercontinental playoffs. That would give them another chance to qualify, although they would still need to win matches to secure a place at the tournament.
For now, Nigeria has not qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
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