NSC chairman Shehu Dikko said Nigeria’s World Cup playoff hopes remain alive as FIFA has yet to deliver a final verdict on the NFF’s protest against DR Congo.
The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has insisted that the Super Eagles still have a chance of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent indications suggesting that DR Congo had secured a place in the intercontinental playoffs.
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Concerns among Nigerian football fans grew earlier this week after FIFA released information about the playoff tournament. The announcement listed DR Congo among the six nations set to compete for the final two qualification spots.
However, Dikko has urged Nigerians not to jump to conclusions, stressing that the governing body has yet to deliver an official ruling on Nigeria’s petition.
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Speaking to The Guardian, Dikko explained that DR Congo’s appearance in the provisional schedule does not mean Nigeria’s protest has been rejected.
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According to him, the current fixtures could still change once FIFA releases its final decision.
“As far as we know, FIFA is yet to give its verdict. We are monitoring the situation closely. The fact that DR Congo appears among the six nations to compete for the final two spots in the playoff is not enough to jump to the conclusion that FIFA has thrown out Nigeria’s petition,” Dikko said.
“Things will change as soon as the FIFA verdict comes out,” he added.
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Dikko emphasised that FIFA follows established procedures for communicating decisions in such cases.
“The FIFA we all know has a channel to pass such sensitive information across to the parties involved. The name of DR Congo appears on the fixtures for now because the matter brought before FIFA has not been decided,” he said.
The dispute began after Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes were dashed in November when the Super Eagles lost on penalties to DR Congo in a tense African playoff.
Following the match, the Nigeria Football Federation filed a formal complaint alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the tie.
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A ruling in Nigeria’s favour could overturn the result, potentially disqualifying DR Congo and giving the Super Eagles another opportunity to compete for a place at the World Cup.
The intercontinental playoffs will feature Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname.
The playoff tournament is scheduled to take place from March 26 to March 31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey, with two final spots at the World Cup up for grabs.
