The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed widespread reports claiming that the Super Eagles’ hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are already over.
According to a report by PUNCH Sports Extra report, the federation said it has not received any official communication from FIFA regarding the protest Nigeria filed against DR Congo.
NFF Director of Communications Ademola Olajire made the clarification while reacting to headlines suggesting FIFA had confirmed DR Congo as Africa’s representative for the inter-confederation playoff tournament.
“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,” Olajire said.
He added that the federation is still waiting for FIFA’s response on the protest.
“Yes, our wait is ongoing. We are still expecting formal communication from FIFA.”
Several media outlets including us reported earlier that FIFA had confirmed the six teams for the inter-confederation playoff tournament, including DR Congo. However, the NFF explained that the statement being circulated actually came from a FIFA publication dated November 18, 2025, before Nigeria submitted its official protest.
Nigeria filed the protest after losing the CAF playoff final to DR Congo on penalties following a 1–1 draw. The NFF argued that DR Congo may have fielded ineligible players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe, based on nationality regulations.
FIFA is currently reviewing the complaint, but no timeline has been given for a final decision. The delay has created uncertainty because the inter-confederation playoff tournament is scheduled for March 26 to 31 in Mexico.
For now, the NFF insists that Nigeria’s protest is still active and the final decision has not been made.
In short, despite the reports circulating online, the Super Eagles’ World Cup fate has not been officially decided yet.
