Nigeria, Dec. 17 -- The Nigeria Football Federation has formally submitted a petition to FIFA over the alleged use of ineligible players by the Democratic Republic of Congo during the recent African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.



DR Congo edged the Super Eagles 4-3 on penalties in the final playoff, a result that sent the Leopards into the inter confederation playoffs and extended Nigeria's wait for a return to the World Cup stage after also missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar.



The controversy centres on the eligibility of several DR Congo players who were born abroad and recently cleared to represent the country. Under Congolese law, dual citizenship is not recognised beyond the age of 21, raising questions over whether some...