Thursday March 5, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will not be at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament to be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.
Nigeria had hoped to participate at the mundial following a formal complaint submitted to FIFA that the DR Congo had used ineligible players in their penalty shootout bivtory over the Super Eagles in the continental playoff final.
This has led to months of uncertainty for both natons, but the world football governing body has all but ended the confusion by confirming DR Congo as Africa’s representative in the forthcoming intercontinental playoff tournament to decide the last two countres to qualify for the World Cup.
In an official tournament notice issued to media partners to cover the tournament holding in Mexico, FIFA named DR Congo as one of the six countries to battle for the two tickets.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament will see six teams fight it out for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 host cities.”
Other participating nations confirmed by FIFA are Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.
The play-off tournament will take place between 26 – 31 March 2026 in the cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey.
The absence of Nigeria means the Super Eagles will miss consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time since their maiden participation in 1994.