Tempers flared on Tuesday night as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) blasted the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over its petition to FIFA, accusing Nigeria of trying to sneak into the 2026 World Cup through the “back door” after losing on penalties.
The fiery reaction came from the Congolese national team’s official Instagram page, shortly after reports emerged that the NFF had written FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players by the Leopards during the CAF 2026 World Cup playoff in Morocco.
Mocking Nigeria’s move, DR Congo warned the Super Eagles to accept defeat on the pitch instead of seeking victory in courtrooms.
“If you can’t win on the pitch don’t try to win from the back door. The World Cup has to be played with dignity and confidence. Not with lawyers tricks. Bring it on. Allez y les Leopards. Bad losers,” the message read.
The outburst followed confirmation that the NFF had lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, accusing DR Congo of fielding nine ineligible players in the decisive playoff clash last month.
Defending Nigeria’s position, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, insisted that FIFA was misled over the players’ eligibility.
“The Nigerian petition is on nine players of DRC. FIFA were deceived into clearing those players because it is not FIFA’s responsibility to interpret or enforce domestic citizenship laws,” Sanusi said.
He maintained that Congolese law does not recognise dual nationality, which he argued applied to the players involved.
“DR Congo law does not permit dual citizenship, yet some of the players involved reportedly hold dual nationality,” he added.
Sanusi further clarified FIFA’s clearance process while doubling down on the NFF’s fraud claim.
“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” Sanusi stated.
“But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”
The explosive exchange has reignited hope among Nigerian fans, desperate to see the Super Eagles return to the World Cup stage.
Nigeria last appeared at the Mundial in 2018 and narrowly missed out on the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Missing the 2026 edition would mean back-to-back World Cup absences for Africa’s most populous nation.
