World Cup 2026: FIFA confirms Nigeria’s exclusion from the intercontinental playoff
By validating the final list of teams taking part in the playoff tournament, FIFA has definitively ended the hopes of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, in favor of DR Congo.
FIFA has definitively extinguished the last hopes of the Super Eagles to compete in the 2026 World Cup. The world governing body for football has confirmed the final lineup of the teams taking part in the inter-confederation playoff tournament scheduled for this month, without Nigeria.
In an accreditation notice sent to the media on Wednesday, FIFA detailed the format of the competition and unveiled the list of the six participating nations. To represent Africa, the DR Congo national team was selected.
This decision seals Nigeria’s absence from this qualifying mini-tournament. The Nigerian Football Federation had, however, disputed the outcome of the playoff played in November 2025 against the Congolese.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw before a penalty shootout won by DR Congo. In the wake, Nigerian officials filed an official protest, accusing their opponent of fielding ineligible players during this decisive encounter.
FIFA’s confirmation now brings the process to a close and definitively closes the door on the playoff tournament for the Super Eagles, who thus see their last chances to participate in the 2026 World Cup slip away.
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