The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has commenced the process of appealing a decision by FIFA Disciplinary Committee which dismissed its petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo national football team over player eligibility concerns, according to the federation’s communications department.
The NFF had lodged a formal complaint with FIFA following Nigeria’s defeat to DR Congo in the African playoff final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, played on November 16, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco.
The federation raised concerns over what it described as irregularities in the issuance of passports that allegedly qualified some Congolese players for the decisive fixture.
Reacting to the ruling, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome, stating that the federation would pursue the matter further through the appropriate legal channels.
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“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition. I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision,” Sanusi said.
The match, staged at the Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, ended 1-1 after regulation and extra time before DR Congo triumphed in a penalty shootout to secure qualification for the Inter-Confederation play-offs.
The NFF’s appeal is expected to be reviewed by FIFA’s appellate bodies in the coming weeks, as Nigeria seeks a reversal of the decision.
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