NFF Dismisses Reports That Super Eagles’ World Cup Hopes Are Over

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has firmly dismissed widespread media reports claiming that Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been dashed.

The federation clarified that FIFA has not issued any formal communication or ruling regarding the pending eligibility dispute involving the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the NFF, the quotes recently circulated by multiple media outlets suggesting that DR Congo had been officially confirmed for the inter-confederation play-off tournament were lifted from an old FIFA publication dated November 2025, rather than a fresh verdict.

Ademola Olajire, the NFF Director of Communications, stated on Wednesday that the federation is still actively awaiting a decision from the global football governing body.

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“The NFF have not received any formal communication from FIFA whatsoever. No information can be shared with journalists without first coming to the federations involved.

“Yes, our wait is ongoing. We are still expecting formal communication from FIFA. Let those posting the old quotes continue posting them,” Olajire explained.

The clarification comes on the heels of several breaking news reports that leaned heavily on a FIFA statement which read: “All of the six teams have now been decided, with Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname confirmed as qualifiers.”

The NFF pointed out that this statement was published on November 18, 2025, more than three months ago, referencing the completion of the qualification process before Nigeria had even filed its protest.

The dispute stems from the CAF play-off final in November 2025, where DR Congo defeated Nigeria on penalties following a 1-1 draw to claim Africa’s sole berth in the inter-confederation play-offs.

In December, the NFF filed a formal protest alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players, including former England youth internationals Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe. The NFF argued that their inclusion violated Congolese law, which prohibits dual citizenship, as well as FIFA’s eligibility rules.

Reiterating the federation’s stance, NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi previously noted, “The Congolese rule says you cannot have dual nationality, but some of their players have European and French passports. Our contention is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them.” The Congolese Football Federation has consistently dismissed the protest as an attempt by Nigeria to “win via the back door.”

While FIFA previously confirmed it was reviewing the matter, it has not provided a timeline for a verdict. The prolonged delay has caused mounting frustration, especially since the inter-confederation play-off tournament is scheduled to run from March 26 to 31 in Mexico.

For now, the NFF’s message remains clear: no final verdict has been delivered, the protest remains active, and Nigeria’s World Cup fate is still undecided.