World Cup play-off: DR Congo mum as NFF petitions FIFA over players’ eligibility News

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World Cup play-off: DR Congo mum as NFF petitions FIFA over players’ eligibility

By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 17, 2025

The official in charge of football administration in DR Congo, Belinda Luntadila Nzuzi, has declined comment over the players’ eligibility controversy that has rocked the country, one month after beating Nigeria in the final of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers African play-off final in Morocco, The PUNCH reports.

General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, on Tuesday confirmed that the body has initiated a probe into DR Congo’s use of ineligible players during the play-off, a development that could reopen Nigeria’s path to the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

DR Congo eliminated Nigeria from the African play-off in November after a 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory in Morocco, a result that ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of progressing to the FIFA intercontinental play-off.

“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” Sanusi said on Tuesday.

“Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, others Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.

“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared,” Sanusi explained. “But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”

“NFF has done the needful,” another member of the federation’s executive board told The PUNCH.

“Their constitution does not allow dual citizenship, and about six to nine players had that status during the play-off. That is the loophole we are exploring. Our lawyers must have submitted the relevant documents to FIFA as well.”

While FIFA reportedly cleared the players on the basis that they possessed valid DR Congo passports, it is alleged that they failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships, contrary to the Central African nation’s constitution, which does not permit dual nationality.

When contacted by The PUNCH, the chairperson of the Normalisation Committee overseeing football administration in DR Congo, Nzuzi, said the country does not yet have an official position on the matter.

Pressed further on the credibility of the breaches and whether they were true, Nzuzi maintained that DR Congo was yet to issue any official response.

Although FIFA has not publicly named the players under investigation, The PUNCH gathered that the case involves Mario Stroeykens, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Matthieu Epolo. All three players previously represented Belgium at youth level before switching international allegiance to DR Congo.

FIFA had publicly confirmed and approved their change of association on November 11, 12 and 13 respectively. However, the matter is now centred on issues of dual nationality and the application of DR Congo’s domestic regulations.

Of the three players, Balikwisha is the only one who has featured for DR Congo at senior level so far. He made his debut during the World Cup play-off clash against Nigeria in November, coming on in extra time before scoring the penultimate penalty in the shoot-out. Captain Chancel Mbemba subsequently converted the decisive spot kick, sending DR Congo into the intercontinental play-offs at the expense of the Super Eagles.

DR Congo have been handed a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off tournament, where they are scheduled to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica by March 2026 in Mexico.

However, their participation at that stage could now be in doubt following concerns raised by the NFF over the eligibility of some of DR Congo players involved during the African play-off.

The development has boosted Nigeria’s hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The country had been condemned to missing back-to-back World Cups after failing to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar as well.

DR Congo, meanwhile, have appeared at the FIFA World Cup on one occasion in 1974 when they were known as Zaire.

Source Punch Ng

Posted December 17, 2025