NFF May Appeal to CAS as FIFA Rejects Nigeria’s Petition against DR Congo

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Nigeria’s hope of playing at summer’s World Cup has finally been nailed as world football governing body, FIFA, has rejected the country’s petition to get DR Congo disqualified for fielding ineligible players against the Super Eagles in the final African playoffs in Morocco last November.

However, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is not accepting the verdict of “No show” against Nigeria and has commenced the process of appealing the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition. 

“I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision,” said NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi yesterday.

Football insiders however revealed last night that what worked against Nigeria’s petition against DR Congo was the lateness in submission of the petition to FIFA after  the November 16, 2025 Playoff final in Rabat, Morocco.

It was learnt that the Disciplinary Committee did not even look at the merit or otherwise of the Nigerian protest against DR Congo as the petition was not submitted within the acceptable timeframe for such. It was also learnt that the accompanying protest fee was not paid.

The NFF had presented a petition to world football-governing body, FIFA days after the said match, based on perceived fraud in the issuance of passports that qualified a number of players of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Playoff.

Both teams were level at 1–1 after regulation time and extra time before the Congolese side prevailed in a sudden-death penalty shootout to secure victory.

Nigeria’s protest was based on what the NFF described as perceived fraud in the issuance of passports that enabled a number of DR Congo players to qualify for the playoff.

With the initial complaint now dismissed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, the NFF will seek a review of the case through the appeal process in an effort to overturn the ruling.

It was also speculated last night that the NFF may head to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in the bid to upturn the FIFA decision despite the InterConfederation Playoffs involving six nations is barely a week to kick off in Mexico.