The Super Eagles of Nigeria will not participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Nigeria had aspirations to compete in the tournament after filing a formal complaint to FIFA regarding DR Congo's use of ineligible players during their penalty shootout victory against the Super Eagles in the continental playoff final.
This situation has caused prolonged uncertainty for both teams, but FIFA has resolved the matter by confirming DR Congo as the representative from Africa in the upcoming intercontinental playoff tournament, which will determine the last two nations to qualify for the World Cup.
In a notice to media partners covering the tournament in Mexico, FIFA identified DR Congo as one of the six countries competing for the two coveted spots.
"The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament will feature six teams contending for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to be held across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States," FIFA stated.
Other nations set to participate include Bolivia, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname.
The playoff matches will occur from March 26 to March 31, 2026, in the cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey.
This absence marks the first time since their initial participation in 1994 that the Super Eagles will miss consecutive World Cup tournaments.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!