FIFA Could Ban Nation From World Cup as Rival Country Launch Official Complaint
FIFA have received a complaint to kick a nation out of the 2026 World Cup following fresh controversy.
The World Cup is fast approaching, with the official draw taking place earlier this month.
US president Donald Trump was involved in the FIFA ceremony as he left fans raging with his moment with Gianni Infantino.
Each group was confirmed, but some groups have yet to be completed, with further qualification matches to be played ahead of next summer's tournament in North America.
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Several European nations are looking to book their spot, including Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland and Turkey.
Not to mention nations away from Europe, including Congo DR, who face the winner of New Caledonia vs. Jamaica for a place at the World Cup.
Congo DR beat Nigeria 4-3 on penalties in the final of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) play-offs in November, advancing them to the FIFA intercontinental play-offs.
But Congo DR's victory has been called into question as Nigeria have lodged a complaint to FIFA over the use of up to nine ineligible players in their game last month, according to a report from ESPN.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) join Cameroon, who had initially filed a similar complaint to FIFA about the eligibility of some of the players who were born in Europe but switched allegiances to represent Congo internationally.
The NFF are challenging Congo DR's use of several dual nationality players during the World Cup qualifying campaign, claiming they were ineligible on the basis of not being properly cleared to switch nationalities.
It has been suggested that between six to nine players used by Congo DR during the qualifiers may have switched international allegiances, but may not have gone through the process of giving up their European passports in line with Congolese law before representing the Central African nation.
NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said: "The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual nationality.
"There are so many of them that have European passports, some of them French passports, some of them Dutch passports. The rules are very clear. We cannot say anything now but we have submitted our protest to FIFA.
"There are players that got theirs in just three months. So there is to us, what is considered as a breach of the regulation. That is why took that decision."
Congolese Constitution does not recognise dual citizenship, but FIFA's own regulations only require players to hold the passports of the representative country in order to be cleared to play for that country.
FIFA cleared the players to play on the basis of them holding Congolese passports.
All the players involved hold Congolese passports, but NFF chief Sanusi claims that FIFA were deceived into issuing those clearances.
NFF officials claim the issue is being investigated by FIFA, who have yet to respond to the complaint.
A decision is expected before the intercontinental play-offs in March.
If Nigeria's appeal is successful, it would provide the Super Eagles a pathway back into World Cup qualifying.
Topics: FIFA World Cup, FIFA
Nasir Jabbar