The petition specifically questions the eligibility of several DRC players, including former Manchester United defenders Axel Tuanzebe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, citing Congolese legislation that reportedly bars dual citizenship with European countries. The NFF argues that this could render the players ineligible for international competition under DRC law.
However, a source within the Confederation of African Football (CAF) suggested that FIFA regulations give precedence to official documentation, such as passports, over domestic nationality laws, indicating that Nigeria’s complaint may face hurdles.
“Nigeria have filed an official complaint against Congo because of the presence of players like Wan-Bissaka and Tuanzebe who obtained Congolese nationality, even though Congolese law prohibits combining its nationality with a European nationality at the same time,” the CAF insider told Filgoal.
“FIFA requires that a passport be issued for the nationality in order to change nationality, so as long as the players have obtained passports, there is no problem,” the source added.
The CAF insider also noted that even if an administrative breach were confirmed, it would unlikely affect the match outcome. “If violations are proven, they will not affect the results of the World Cup qualifiers. This situation differs from the Equatorial Guinea case involving Emilio Nsue, where sanctions were imposed because the violation occurred before the qualifiers began.”
According to the source, the most probable repercussions would be financial penalties or a formal warning aimed at ensuring future compliance, rather than overturning match results or restarting the qualification process.
Pending FIFA’s final ruling, the DRC is scheduled to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs, where they will face the winner of the match between New Caledonia and Jamaica for a place at the World Cup.
This development adds a new layer of intrigue to the qualifiers, highlighting ongoing debates over player eligibility, nationality rules, and FIFA’s regulatory framework.