Shehu Dikko confident Nigeria’s World Cup hopes alive as FIFA reviews DR Congo player eligibility

Nigeria still has a strong chance of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, according to Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission, who revealed that a formal complaint regarding DR Congo’s player eligibility is under review by FIFA and could influence the outcome of the qualifiers.

Speaking in an interview on Friday, Dikko explained that Nigeria approached FIFA after scrutinising the DR Congo squad used in the qualification matches. He emphasised that the move was guided strictly by the rules of the game, describing it as a standard legal procedure rather than an emotional reaction to match results.

“We’re not sore losers, but it’s part of the rules,” Dikko said, adding that the country routinely monitors the eligibility of players in opposing teams. Concerns arose after reviewing the documentation and clearances obtained for some DR Congo players.

Dikko noted that Nigeria sought legal advice before submitting the matter to FIFA. “We bring in our legal teams…we look at the legal opinion, we look at the laws, we find out that there’s some suspicion that some things haven’t been done right according to the laws of the game and what FIFA requires before a player can be eligible,” he explained.

Confirming that the complaint has been formally submitted, Dikko expressed confidence in Nigeria’s position. “Our case is very tight. We’re not sore losers and our case is very tight, I think. It’s part of the laws,” he said.

The Sports Commission chairman reiterated that Nigeria remains hopeful as FIFA examines the case, stressing that the country will respect the final decision while remaining confident that the issue was raised in accordance with World Cup qualification rules.

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