NSC Chairman Issues Update on World Cup Case Against DR Congo as FIFA Verdict Drags
- National Sports Commission boss, Shehu Dikko, has provided an update on the case against DR Congo
- It was widely speculated that the world football body FIFA would announce the verdict on February 16
- The NFF has since announced matches for the Super Eagles during the March international window
The chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko, has spoken about Nigeria's pending case against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, submitted a petition to FIFA challenging DR Congo’s status in the upcoming 2026 World Cup intercontinental play-off round.
Source: Getty Images
Nigeria, which lost on penalties, alleged that DR Congo had breached football body rules and thus should be excluded, with the Super Eagles taking its place.
The NFF claimed that the Leopards fielded six ineligible players, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, even though FIFA had initially cleared them to complete.
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NFF claimed that FIFA was misled into approving the players' nationality switch as they did not satisfy the Congolese constitution requirements for citizenship.
FIFA acknowledged the case after it was submitted on December 15, 2025, but it has yet to pass a verdict, less than a month before the March international break.
DR Congo will face the winner of the semi-final tie between Jamaica and New Caledonia for a chance to be at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
There were widespread reports that FIFA would deliver a verdict on the case in the week of February 16, but a week later, there has yet to be any communication.
NSC provides update on Nigeria's case
NSC chairman Alhaji Shehu Dikko, during a visit to President Bola Tinubu, spoke about the case with FIFA, confirming that no verdict had been given.
He confirmed that the competitive side is over for the Super Eagles, but the legal aspect offers a pathway to the tournament, which kicks off in four months.
“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, as quoted by The Guardian.
Nigerians have been waiting anxiously for the verdict as they want to know the fate of their national team at the global football event in June.
Source: Getty Images
The case became complicated after the Nigeria Football Federation, the NFF, announced a four-nation invitational tournament for the March break.
FIFA's intercontinental play-offs are scheduled for the same month, and setting up games for the Super Eagles during that time suggests that the case could have concluded.
However, the NFF had games lined up during the November international break of 2025, which were cancelled after the team qualified for the African playoff.
Ben Iroha slams FIFA over case delay
Legit.ng reported that former Super Eagles defender Ben Iroha had slammed FIFA for the delay in delivering a verdict on the case against DR Congo.
The intercontinental playoff is about a month away, and the world football governing body is yet to decide on the case, which was filed last December.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
