FIFA dismissed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) protest against DR Congo over player eligibility on procedural grounds, a report by veteran journalist Kunle Solaja has revealed.
Nigeria lost the decisive 2026 World Cup African play-off match 4-3 on penalties in Rabat, Morocco, after a 1-1 draw following extra time on November 16, 2025.
The NFF later challenged the eligibility of several DR Congo players, citing alleged irregularities in passport issuance.
However, according to Solaja, the protest failed to meet the requirements set out in FIFA regulations.
He cited an internal FIFA source, which stated that the complaint was filed outside the allowed timeline.
The report noted: “Protests regarding the eligibility of players must be communicated to the match commissioner within two hours of the completion of the match, and followed by a detailed written submission within 24 hours.”
The NFF submitted its protest on November 28, 2025, nearly two weeks after the match.
The source also revealed that the required protest fee was not paid, meaning the case was not processed.
It said: “The appeal that was widely reported was never actually entertained by the FIFA judicial authorities because it did not meet the procedural requirements.”
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FIFA formally notified the NFF of the outcome on March 9, 2026, with public confirmation coming this week.
The Eagle Online reports that the NFF has started an appeal against FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee decision.
With the protest dismissed, DR Congo’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup stands, while Nigeria’s campaign for the tournament has come to an end.
