By Achile Danjuma
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup appear to be over after FIFA confirmed the final list of teams for the inter-confederation play-off tournament, with DR Congo named as Africa’s representative.
In an accreditation notice sent to journalists covering the tournament, FIFA outlined the competition format and listed the six qualified nations.
The inclusion of DR Congo effectively shuts the door on Nigeria, whose football federation had protested their CAF play-off defeat in November 2025.
The Nigeria Football Federation had filed a formal petition alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during the decisive play-off, which Nigeria lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The protest sought to overturn the result and reinstate the Super Eagles into the inter-continental play-offs.
However, FIFA’s latest communication does not refer to any amendment to the qualified teams, strongly indicating that the result stands.
In its statement, FIFA confirmed, “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.”
The world football governing body added, “All of the six teams have now been decided, with Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname confirmed as qualifiers.”
Tournament format and fixtures
The play-off competition will take place from March 26 to March 31, 2026, in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico.
According to FIFA, “From the six participants, the four lowest-ranked nations in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – Bolivia, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname – will meet in bracket semi-finals. The two highest-ranked teams – Congo DR and Iraq – will go directly into the finals.”
This structure places DR Congo directly into a final clash against the winner of Jamaica versus New Caledonia, with a place at the 2026 tournament at stake.
The USA, Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the first edition to feature 48 teams.
For Nigeria, the confirmation brings an end to months of anticipation over FIFA’s ruling. While there has been no separate public statement directly addressing the NFF’s petition, the unchanged lineup signals that the appeal did not alter the outcome.