Former DR Congo defender and Football Director of the Congolese Football Federation, Herita Ilunga, has claimed that the alleged ineligibility of some DR Congo players, which has put their 2026 World Cup qualification into doubt, would be decided on “sporting nationality”, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday confirmed that it has contested the eligibility of some DR Congo players, one month after they beat Nigeria in the final of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers African play-off in Morocco.

The NFF’s probe is hinged on the possession of dual nationality by a few players who switched their allegiance to DR Congo before the play-off, claiming that the Central African nation’s constitution does not permit dual nationality.

While FIFA reportedly cleared the players on the basis that they possessed valid DR Congo passports, it is alleged that they failed to formally renounce their previous citizenships, contrary to the Central African nation’s constitution.

“We’re waiting. The Congolese rules say you cannot have dual citizenship or nationality,” NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi said on Tuesday.

“Wan-Bissaka has a European passport; some of them have French passports, others Dutch passports. The rules are very clear, and we have submitted our petition.

“FIFA rules say once you have a passport of your country, you’re eligible, and that is why they were cleared. But our concern is that FIFA was deceived into clearing them. It is not FIFA’s responsibility to enforce Congo’s domestic regulations; FIFA acts based on what is submitted to it. What we are saying is that the process was fraudulent.”

In response, Ilunga, who represented DR Congo between 2004 and 2011, believes Nigeria’s claim does not hold water.

“FIFA doesn’t reason in terms of legal nationality but in terms of sporting nationality. If that’s true, I advise you, dear Naija brothers, to focus instead on the AFCON,” Ilunga said via X.

Although FIFA has not publicly named the players under investigation, The PUNCH gathered that the case involves Mario Stroeykens, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Matthieu Epolo. All three players previously represented Belgium at youth level before switching international allegiance to DR Congo.

FIFA had publicly confirmed and approved their change of association on November 11, 12 and 13 respectively. However, the matter is now centred on issues of dual nationality and the application of DR Congo’s domestic regulations.

Of the three players, Balikwisha is the only one who has featured for DR Congo at senior level so far. He made his debut during the World Cup play-off clash against Nigeria in November, coming on in extra time before scoring the penultimate penalty in the shoot-out.

Captain Chancel Mbemba subsequently converted the decisive spot kick, sending DR Congo into the intercontinental play-offs at the expense of the Super Eagles.

DR Congo have been handed a bye into the final of the intercontinental play-off tournament, where they are scheduled to face the winner of the semi-final between New Caledonia and Jamaica in March 2026 in Mexico.