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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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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The statement from Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali on Wednesday that Iran could not take part in a World Cup being co-hosted by the United States offered the clearest indication yet of the potential for a first ​withdrawal from global soccer’s showpiece event in the modern era.

While that has not officially happened at this point, minds at soccer’s global governing body FIFA must ‌now address more urgently the prospect of having to replace the Iranians in the tournament kicking off in the U.S., Mexico and Canada in early June.

Donyamali said it would be impossible for Iran to take part after air attacks launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering a region-wide conflict that shows no sign of abating.

While it always seemed counter-intuitive that Iran would take part ​in a World Cup while at war with one of the co-hosts, FIFA were on Tuesday still clearly banking on Team Melli lining up for their first group ​game against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

Only a few hours before Donyamali’s statement, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino trumpeted an assurance from Trump ⁠that Iran were “welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States”.

A withdrawal would be governed by Article Six of the World Cup regulations, which, while stipulating a series of financial ​penalties for such a move, also states that FIFA would be at liberty to call up any nation it chooses to fill the void.

“There’s no modern precedent for this and, according to ​FIFA’s own tournament regulations, they have full discretion to do whatever they want in the case of a team withdrawing,” James Kitching, FIFA’s former Director of Football Regulatory, told Reuters.

“That means, for example, a team that withdraws wouldn’t have to be replaced by a team from the same confederation, or even replaced at all. Whether either of those scenarios would be politically tenable is a different question.

“The tournament regulations also provide disciplinary sanctions ​for any federation whose team withdraws. However, if Iran withdrew for any reason related to this current conflict, I doubt FIFA would impose any sanctions given the circumstances.”

The Iranians qualified for ​a fourth successive World Cup by topping Group A in the third round of Asian qualifying last year, and a replacement from the world’s most populous continent would make most sense, even if that is ‌not as ⁠straightforward as it may seem.

TRAVEL FREEZE COMPLICATES IRAQI PREPARATIONS

Iraq are due to participate in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico this month for a spot at the finals, while the United Arab Emirates, which lost to the Iraqis in an eliminator in November, have also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

The travel freeze in the Middle East caused by the conflict is impacting Iraq’s ability to get to Mexico and prepare for their match against either Bolivia or Suriname on March 31.

Iraq coach Graham Arnold has proposed that FIFA postpone that fixture until closer to the finals, saying that ​would be fair to the Iraqis and ​allow the Iran situation to play out ⁠further.

“Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the US – the winner of that game stays on, and the loser goes home,” Arnold told the Australian Associated Press on Monday.

“In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more ​time to decide what Iran is going to do. If Iran withdraws, we go into the World Cup, and it gives the ​UAE, who we beat in ⁠qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.”

FIFA has yet to comment on Donyamali’s statement while a source at the Asian Football Confederation said it “is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with FIFA” over the potential replacement of Iran.

“Matters relating to the World Cup fall under FIFA’s remit,” the source said. “At this stage, it would be premature to speculate further.”

World Cup places are ⁠much coveted by ​the confederations, however, and it is likely that the AFC would lobby hard for the replacement to come from ​Asia.

With Europe’s final participants in the World Cup also decided at the end of March, Kitching believes FIFA will not make any firm decisions until early April.

“I would expect a decision is not going to be made until after ​the final playoffs are finished, and for FIFA to take a pragmatic and consultative approach to the situation,” he said.

-Reuters

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