FIFA World Cup: Ibrahim Gusau-led NFF under fire for ‘calculated deceit’ in desperate protest against DR Congo

As the fallout from Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign continues, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) finds itself facing a different kind of heat, this time for pursuing a backdoor entry to the 2​026 World Cup through a controversial legal protest against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

While the federation claims they are fighting for justice, critics, former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has labelled the move a "calculated deceit" designed to distract from the technical and administrative failures that led to Nigeria’s elimination on the pitch.

The NFF’s petition to FIFA centres on the eligibility of several DR Congo players, including high-profile names like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe.

The federation argues that because the DRC constitution does not recognise dual citizenship, these players, many of whom hold European passports, were fraudulently cleared by FIFA.

However, the protest has been met with widespread skepticism:

FIFA’s Stance: FIFA regulations generally stipulate that if a player possesses a valid passport of the country they represent and has met the sporting criteria for a switch, they are eligible. FIFA rarely enforces the domestic nationality laws of individual nations.

Precedent: These same players featured for DR Congo throughout the World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 AFCON without protest from other nations, including Cameroon and Gabon.

Oliseh, speaking on his YouTube channel, launched a blistering attack on the NFF’s strategy, suggesting it is a smokescreen to protect those responsible for Nigeria’s failure to qualify on the field.

Oliseh argued that the focus on "cursing DR Congo" ignores the reality that Nigeria lost the decisive playoff final on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Rabat.

The NFF's move has been characterised by many as a desperate attempt to salvage a "miserable era" for the Super Eagles.

With Nigeria having missed the 2022 World Cup and now facing a 13-year trophy drought, the push for a "technical reprieve" is seen by some as an admission of on-field incompetence.

While the NFF awaits a final verdict from FIFA, the consensus amongst legends and fans is the need to shift toward internal reforms.

By focusing on the nationality of Wan-Bissaka and others than the tactical deficiencies that saw the Super Eagles struggle against the Leopards, the NFF has been accused of avoiding the mirror.

As Oliseh concluded in his scathing attack on the Super Eagles for celebrating the bronze medal: “We need to get back to being respected, not just a cautionary tale’ rather than prioritising politics over the pitch.