FIFA on Wednesday confirmed the final lineup for the inter-confederation playoff tournament, announcing DR Congo as Africa’s representative.
The football governing body’s decision has crushed Nigeria’s prospects of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA described the tournament rules and listed the six participant nations in an accreditation notification sent to journalists before the competition.
Nigeria’s football federation had contested the result of their defeat in the CAF playoffs in November 2025, but DR Congo’s admission eliminates that possibility.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) filed a formal protest, claiming that DR Congo fielded ineligible players in the decisive match, which finished 1-1 and went to penalties, which Nigeria lost.
The appeal aimed to overturn the result and ensure the Super Eagles’ participation in the intercontinental playoffs.
Details later…
