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Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may not be over yet, following a formal complaint lodged against the Democratic Republic of Congo over the alleged use of ineligible players during the qualifiers.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that it has taken the matter to FIFA, raising concerns about DR Congo’s squad during the African play-offs, a development that could potentially reopen the Super Eagles’ path to the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Nigeria were knocked out of the African play-offs in November after losing 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in Morocco, a painful defeat that appeared to end the Super Eagles’ World Cup dream. The Congolese side went on to secure a direct spot in the final of the intercontinental play-off, where they are expected to face the winner of the semi-final clash between New Caledonia and Jamaica.

However, that place is now under scrutiny.

According to the NFF, between six and nine DR Congo players who switched international allegiance may not have fully met the country’s eligibility requirements before representing the national team. Although FIFA reportedly cleared the players because they held valid DR Congo passports, the federation argues that the players failed to renounce their previous citizenships — a requirement under Congolese law, which does not recognise dual nationality.

A senior NFF executive confirmed that the federation has taken the necessary steps, saying, “The NFF has done the needful.”

Speaking further, the official explained that the issue lies in DR Congo’s constitution. “Their laws do not permit dual citizenship, and several players had that status during the play-offs. That is the loophole we are examining. Our lawyers have submitted all relevant documents to FIFA,” he said.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, also confirmed the petition, stressing that the federation is awaiting FIFA’s response.

“The Congolese rules clearly state that dual citizenship is not allowed,” Sanusi said. “Some of the players involved hold European passports — French, Dutch, and others. We have formally submitted our complaint.”

He added that while FIFA’s regulations allow players to represent a country once they possess a valid passport, the world football body may have been misled.

“FIFA acts based on the documents presented to it; it is not responsible for enforcing domestic laws,” Sanusi explained. “Our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing these players. The process, in our view, was fraudulent.”

The unfolding situation has reignited hope among Nigerian football fans, especially after the country missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and appeared set to miss a second consecutive tournament.

DR Congo, for their part, have qualified for the FIFA World Cup only once in 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.

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Real Madrid and France captain Kylian Mbappé has been awarded €61m after a Paris labour court ruled in his favour in a long-running financial dispute with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The ruling was delivered on Tuesday by the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, France’s employment tribunal, responsible for workplace and contract disputes. It followed months of legal arguments over wages and bonuses allegedly left unpaid by the club.

The forward had initially demanded more than €263m, claiming PSG breached his contract by failing to pay salaries and bonuses and subjected him to unfair treatment as his contract neared its end. He also sought damages linked to alleged harassment and contractual misconduct.

PSG challenged the allegations and filed a counter-lawsuit, demanding up to €440m in damages. The club stated it endured financial losses when Mbappé rejected a €300m transfer offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal in 2023 and subsequently left on a free transfer in 2024. The club also accused him of breaching principles of good faith and loyalty by not informing the club earlier about his decision not to renew.

After reviewing the case, the court dismissed most claims exceeding €100m from both sides but found that PSG had failed to pay three months of Mbappé’s salary between April and June 2024, along with contractually agreed-upon ethics and signing bonuses. The tribunal ruled that these payments were due, awarding Mbappé €61m.

Kylian Mbappé’s legal camp called the victory an “important” one, adding that the decision reaffirms that labour law applies even at the highest level of professional football, insisting that the player fulfilled all contractual obligations.

In 2023, tensions between Mbappé and PSG escalated after he declined to renew his contract, which was set to expire in 2024. Even after signing a lucrative deal in 2022, he was excluded from the pre-season tour, trained apart from the first team, and omitted from early league games.

After several discussions with the club, he returned for his final season. The club denied harassment claims, stating that Mbappé played in over 94% of matches in the 2023–24 season and trained in accordance with professional football regulations.

Throughout his seven years at PSG, he set a record as the club’s all-time leading scorer, finding the net 256 times in 308 games and helping secure 15 trophies during his time there.

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No fewer than 10 players have reported to the camp of the Super Eagles as preparations begin for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Super Eagles’ camp officially opened on Sunday at the Renaissance Hotels, Cairo, with all coaches and backroom staff already in attendance ahead of the tournament.

Thenews reports that Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was the first player to arrive, touching down shortly after 2 a.m. local time, signaling the start of full squad mobilisation.

Uzoho was named as one of three goalkeepers in head coach Eric Chelle’s 28-man squad, marking his return to the national team setup after more than a year on the sideline.

Stanley Nwabali followed as the second arrival, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro later arrived in the camp to raise the number to four.

Six more players — Amas Obasogie, Semi Ajayi, Ademola Lookman, Igho Ogbu, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Tochukwu Nnadi, arrived later, bringing the total number in camp to ten.

More players are expected to join in the coming hours as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the continental showpiece.

Sources also reports that the three-time African champions are scheduled to hold their first training session later this evening.

As part of their preparations, the Super Eagles will play a friendly match against the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.

Nigeria will head into the 2025 AFCON looking to build on their runners-up finish at the last tournament, where they lost 2–1 to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.

The Super Eagles are aiming for a fourth continental crown, having previously won in 1980, 1994 and 2013.

The 2025 AFCON kicks off in Morocco on Dec. 21 and is expected to end on Jan. 18, 2026.