By Kunle Solaja

The Democratic Republic of Congo has named several players at the centre of Nigeria’s eligibility protest in its squad for the decisive inter-continental play-off for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underlining the lingering controversy surrounding the Leopards’ qualification campaign.

DR Congo will face the winner of the play-off between Jamaica and New Caledonia in Guadalajara, Mexico, on March 31, 2026, in a match that could send the Central African nation back to the World Cup for the first time in 52 years.

But the squad announced by coach Sébastien Desabre has drawn attention because many of the players whose eligibility Nigeria questioned after last November’s African play-off defeat have again been included.

Players at the centre of Nigeria’s protest

Nigeria’s protest to FIFA following the African play-off in Morocco focused most strongly on three players whose nationality switches were approved only days before the decisive match: Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Mario Stroeykens and Matheu Epolo

Balikwisha and Stroeykens, both Belgian-born and former Belgium youth internationals, were granted FIFA approval to switch allegiance to DR Congo in the days leading up to the November 16 play-off against Nigeria.

Epolo, a Belgian-born goalkeeper who also represented Belgium at the youth level, had his nationality switch approved within the same period.

Nigeria argued that the Congolese federation had called up the players before FIFA had formally approved their change of association, raising questions about whether proper procedures had been followed.

Of the three players at the centre of the protest, Epolo has been included in the squad for the Guadalajara play-off, while Balikwisha and Stroeykens have not been listed among the selected players.

Several other contested players retained

Beyond the three players highlighted in Nigeria’s complaint, several other footballers whose eligibility was questioned by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have also been retained in the squad.

These include: Lionel Mpasi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Arthur Masuaku, Samuel Moutoussamy, Noah Sadiki, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Nathanaël Mbuku, and Cédric Bakambu

Most of those players were involved in the controversial African play-off match against Nigeria last November, with Mpasi, Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe and Masuaku forming part of the starting defence.

Midfielders Sadiki, Moutoussamy and Mukau also started the match, while Mbuku and Bakambu featured in the attacking line.

Substitute appearances were made by Edo Kayembe, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Fiston Mayele, with Balikwisha scoring one of the penalties in the shoot-out that ultimately eliminated Nigeria.

Legal basis of Nigeria’s complaint

Nigeria’s petition to FIFA was based on two principal arguments.

The first concerned the timing of FIFA approval for nationality switches.

According to the NFF, the Congolese federation called up several dual-nationality players around November 1, 2025, but FIFA only approved their change of association between November 11 and 12, just days before the match on November 16.

Nigeria argued that this raised questions about how the players could have been selected before their eligibility was officially confirmed.

The second argument related to DR Congo’s constitutional position on dual nationality.

The NFF contended that because the Congolese constitution does not formally recognise dual citizenship, players who still held European passports might not have been eligible to represent the country unless they had renounced their other nationalities.

Historic opportunity in Guadalajara

Despite the controversy, DR Congo now stands within touching distance of its first World Cup appearance since 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.

Desabre’s squad blends experienced European-based players with emerging talent as the Leopards attempt to secure a historic return to the global stage.

In defence, Wan-Bissaka and Masuaku are expected to provide width, while Chancel Mbemba and Tuanzebe offer experience and physical presence at the heart of the backline.

Midfielders Sadiki and Moutoussamy will be tasked with controlling the tempo, supported by attacking outlets such as Grady Diangana and Edo Kayembe.

Up front, DR Congo will rely on the firepower of Bakambu, Fiston Mayele, Simon Banza and Yoane Wissa.

If the Leopards prevail in Guadalajara, they will become the tenth African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, joining Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

Yet as they prepare for the decisive match, the presence of several players named in Nigeria’s protest ensures that the controversy surrounding last November’s play-off remains part of the broader narrative of DR Congo’s quest for a place at football’s biggest tournament.

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U.S. President Donald Trump said ‌on Thursday the Iranian men’s national soccer team was welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup but that he believed it was not appropriate that they be there “for their own life ​and safety.”

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, ​but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be ⁠there, for their own life and safety,” Trump said in a post on ​Truth Social.

Iran’s sports minister said on Wednesday, opens new tab that it was not possible for his nation’s ​athletes to participate after the U.S. launched airstrikes alongside Israel against Tehran. The attacks triggered a region-wide conflict that has shown no signs of abating.

The 48-team World Cup will be held in the U.S., ​Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, with Iran scheduled for ​matches in Los Angeles and Seattle.

An official withdrawal by Iran from the showpiece event, ‌which has ⁠not yet happened, would be a first in the modern era and would leave soccer’s global governing body FIFA with the urgent task of finding a replacement team.

Iran was the only nation missing from a FIFA planning summit for World ​Cup participants held last ​week in Atlanta.

⁠FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Late last year it awarded Trump — who has campaigned aggressively ​for the Nobel Peace Prize — its own inaugural peace prize .

Earlier this ​week, Australia granted ⁠humanitarian visas to five Iranian women soccer players after they sought asylum, fearing persecution on their return home for their refusal to sing the national anthem at an ⁠Asia Cup ​match.

Trump had urged Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony ​Albanese to grant asylum to members of the Iranian women’s team, saying the U.S. would if Australia ​did not.

-Reuters

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Democratic Republic of Congo striker Yoane Wissa has returned to the squad for their World ​Cup playoff this month after missing the Africa ‌Cup of Nations finals at the turn of the year.

The Newcastle United forward suffered a knee injury playing ​for his country against Senegal in a World ​Cup qualifier in early September, only returning ⁠to action in December, and was not chosen ​for the Cup of Nations in December and January.

The ​Congolese were eliminated in the round of 16 at the tournament in Morocco.

They now have a chance to become ​the 10th African country at the World Cup ​in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. starting in June.

They are competing ‌in ⁠the inter-confederation playoff in Guadalajara, Mexico on March 31 against either Jamaica or New Caledonia, who meet five days earlier.

The winners of the March 31 ​game qualify ​for the ⁠World Cup and will be in Group K with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.

DR ​Congo coach Sebastien Desabre named 26 ​players for ⁠the playoff with defender Dylan Batubinsika of Greek side AEL and Watford right back Jeremy Ngakia returning.

Elche’s ⁠former ​England under-21 midfielder Grady Diangana, ​who missed the Cup of Nations finals, is also included.

Reuters

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