The world football governing body, FIFA, on Wednesday confirmed that Democratic Republic of the Congo will represent Africa in the inter-confederation play-off tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, effectively ending Nigeria’s qualification hopes.
The announcement was contained in an accreditation notice circulated to journalists ahead of the competition. The document outlined the structure of the tournament and identified the six countries that will compete for the remaining places at the 2026 global finals.
DR Congo’s inclusion means there is no space for Nigeria in the play-off competition. Nigeria’s national football governing body, the Nigeria Football Federation, had earlier challenged the outcome of the African play-off match played in November 2025.
That decisive fixture ended 1-1 before proceeding to penalties, where Nigeria lost. Following the defeat, the Nigeria Football Federation filed a formal protest, alleging that DR Congo used ineligible players during the match.
The federation requested that the result be overturned and that Nigeria’s senior men’s national team, the Super Eagles, be awarded the play-off place instead.
With FIFA’s confirmation of the final line-up for the inter-confederation tournament, the appeal has effectively failed, closing the last remaining path for Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The inter-confederation play-offs bring together teams from different continental football bodies to compete for the final available spots at the World Cup. The 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature an expanded number of participating nations.
For Nigeria, which has a strong history at the World Cup and is regarded as one of Africa’s traditional football powers, the development marks a major disappointment. Attention is now expected to shift toward future qualification campaigns and other international competitions.