NSC chairman reveals Nigeria flagged DR Congo’s eligibility issues early
The last has not been heard regarding Nigeria’s quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, has revealed that DR Congo has a case to answer before FIFA.
Dikko made the disclosure on Friday while speaking as a guest on Arise TV, telling football-loving Nigerians that DR Congo faltered in its bid to secure eligibility for some players ahead of the continental playoffs in Morocco.
According to him, Nigeria observed irregularities after DR Congo named players of other nationalities who had not yet been granted FIFA clearance to represent the Leopards in their playoff squad.
He stressed that the concerns were identified well before the playoffs and were not a reaction to Nigeria’s eventual defeat, noting that Nigerian football authorities had been monitoring developments closely.
Dikko explained that the situation raised serious questions about due process, particularly regarding how players of other nationalities were allowed to switch allegiance shortly before competitive fixtures.
“When we saw the squad that was put in place for the playoffs, which was named on November 1 ahead of matches on November 13, we discovered that some players of other nationalities had been included without FIFA clearance. That raised alarm for us, and we began monitoring the situation, even though the players were not fielded,” Dikko said.
He further noted that the issuance of passports and nationality changes must strictly follow the law, warning that any breach could invalidate eligibility and affect the integrity of competitions.
The former second vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) concluded that while Nigeria lost the match, FIFA rules must be respected, adding that Nigeria reserves the right to seek redress if it is established that there were misrepresentations made to FIFA in obtaining player clearances.
