Whom Nigeria Will Face in World Cup Qualifier Playoffs?

Big news coming from the FIFA headquarters as the Nigeria national football team are set to have a direct entry into the World Cup Qualifier Playoffs, replacing DR Congo. This development comes in the wake of the petition filed by the Nigerian football federation (NFF) earlier, regarding discrepancies in DR Congo's path to the playoffs.

Nigeria were knocked out of contention for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA following a defeat at the hands of DR Congo in the CAF World Cup Qualifier playoffs final on penalties. They later challenged the decision at the FIFA headquarters as they believed that some of the players fielded by DR Congo were ineligible, following the dual citizenship rule in the nation.

Players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe of Congo hold dual citizenship, which is a breach of the rule according to Congolese law. Rumours say that FIFA are set to restore the Nigeria national football team to the Intercontinental Playoffs, once they find the irregularities in Congo's ways of reaching the titular encounter.

This could be a historic move, as DR Congo, who could have reached their first-ever World Cup tournament, had to bow out due to their own mistakes. The Super Eagles will be playing in the global gathering event after missing out on the previous two editions.