Uncertainty continues to cloud Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup hopes after FIFA’s latest report failed to reference the country’s protest against DR Congo, leaving supporters anxiously awaiting clarity on a case that could reshape the Super Eagles’ immediate future.
The Nigeria Football Federation lodged its complaint on December 15, 2025, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the decisive African play-off final.
The protest followed Nigeria’s agonising exit in Rabat, where the Super Eagles fell 4-3 on penalties after a fiercely contested encounter last November.
That defeat extinguished their route to the intercontinental play-offs for the 2026 tournament in North America and appeared, at least on the pitch, to close the chapter on qualification.
Attention swiftly shifted from footballing matters to legal arguments, with expectations that FIFA’s Ethics Committee would deliberate on the issue in mid-February.
Many anticipated that a formal pronouncement would emerge shortly thereafter. However, FIFA’s most recent publication made no mention of the Nigeria-DR Congo dispute, instead highlighting broader themes within global sports arbitration.
According to the report, 77 per cent of cases registered with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2025 were football-related, underscoring the game’s dominance in legal proceedings worldwide.
For Nigerian fans, though, such statistics provide little comfort. The absence of any update on the protest has only intensified speculation and frustration, with no official timeline offered for a verdict.
The matter was addressed on Wednesday by Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, following a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House.
Dikko confirmed that, as of February 19, 2026, FIFA had not delivered a final decision. He also dismissed circulating reports suggesting that a ruling had already been made, stressing that no official communication had reached Nigerian authorities.
Expressing guarded optimism, Dikko acknowledged that the case now rests entirely with FIFA’s independent judicial bodies. “World Cup is a closed chapter for us competitively, but the legal matter is pending. The relevant independent bodies within FIFA will decide,” he said.
For now, Nigeria’s World Cup destiny remains suspended between legal argument and administrative process.