By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The controversy surrounding Nigeria’s clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the intercontinental playoff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been intensified on X, after DR Congo omitted two players earlier alleged by Nigeria to be ineligible.
The issue stems from a petition submitted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to FIFA, claiming that DR Congo fielded two ineligible players during the playoff encounter against the Nigeria national football team.
The dispute has generated significant reactions on the social media platform X, where many Nigerian fans are awaiting FIFA’s final decision on the matter.
Expectations among supporters remain high that if FIFA finds the Democratic Republic of Congo guilty of violating eligibility rules, the Central African nation could lose its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup intercontinental playoff, potentially opening the door for Nigeria to benefit from the ruling.
Fueling the online debate further, the DR Congo national football team recently unveiled a 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup playoff fixtures, notably excluding the two players flagged in the NFF’s petition.
While no official explanation was provided for their omission, the development has triggered fresh speculation among fans and analysts that the eligibility concerns raised by Nigeria may have influenced the squad selection.
FIFA has yet to issue a final verdict on the petition, leaving the fate of the playoff outcome and potential implications for Nigeria hanging in the balance.
