The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially lodged a petition with FIFA against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), alleging that the Congolese team fielded ineligible players during the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Playoffs Final against Nigeria.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, disclosed that Nigeria has formally presented its case to world football’s governing body and is now awaiting FIFA’s verdict.
- “We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, some of them Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition,” Dr. Sanusi stated.
Dr. Sanusi explained that although FIFA had initially cleared the players in question to represent DR Congo, the NFF believes that this approval was granted based on inaccurate or misleading information provided by the Congolese authorities.
- “That’s why FIFA cleared them,” he added. “FIFA rules say once you have passports in your country, you’re eligible. But right now, our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not the responsibility of FIFA to ensure that the regulations of Congo are followed. What we are saying is that it was fraudulent.”
According to the NFF, DR Congo’s domestic laws allegedly prohibit dual citizenship, and Nigeria contends that players holding European passports should therefore be considered ineligible under Congolese regulations, despite FIFA’s initial approval.
DR Congo Fires Back
In response to the allegations, DR Congo dismissed Nigeria’s claims through statements posted on its official social media platforms. The Congolese Football Federation insisted that FIFA’s eligibility rules are based on sporting nationality, not legal or civil nationality.
“FIFA doesn’t consider legal nationality but sporting nationality. If that’s true, I advise you, dear Naija brothers, to focus on the AFCON instead,” the statement read.
DR Congo’s Director of Football, Hérita Ilunga, echoed the same position in a direct social media response, reiterating that FIFA regulations govern international eligibility and not national citizenship laws.
FIFA Investigation Ongoing
With both federations standing firmly by their positions, FIFA has reportedly commenced a thorough review of the case. The outcome could have significant implications for the World Cup qualification process and may determine whether any sanctions, points deductions, or reversals are warranted.
As tensions rise and anticipation builds, all eyes remain on FIFA’s final decision in what has become a highly contentious and closely watched dispute. The coming days promise to be critical as the global football community awaits clarity on the matter.