Nigeria remain hopeful of reviving their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
As things stand, Nigeria will not participate at this summer’s showpiece event after losing 4-3 on penalties to DR Congo in the Africa play-off final back in November.
However, the Super Eagles then filed a complaint to FIFA, challenging DR Congo’s use of several dual nationality players during World Cup qualification.
As per FIFA regulations, players are only required to hold the passports of the representative country in order to be cleared to play for that country.
According to reports, between six to nine players used by DR Congo during the qualification campaign may not have completed the process of giving up their European passports in line with Congolese law before representing the country.
It was announced on Monday that FIFA's Disciplinary Committee had rejected such allegations against DR Congo, though the Nigeria Football Federation have confirmed they have started the process of appealing the decision.
NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said in a statement: "We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition.
"I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision."
Nigeria’s appeal is now expected to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but it remains to be seen if the process will be concluded before the intercontinental playoffs begin on March 26.
DR Congo are scheduled to face the winners of the New Caledonia vs Jamaica semi-final on March 31 in Mexico, so that could be a potential deadline for an outcome.
If Nigeria’s appeal is successful they will likely replace DR Congo in the play-offs, leaving them one win away from qualifying for the World Cup and joining Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.
