Sport
NFF Appeals to CAS After FIFA Rejects Nigeria’s Dual Nationality Protest Against DR Congo With World Cup Playoffs Days Away

Nigeria’s bid to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the back door has been dealt a severe blow, with FIFA formally rejecting the Nigeria Football Federation’s petition challenging the eligibility of several players fielded by DR Congo in their decisive playoff clash in Rabat last November — but the NFF has immediately escalated the battle, filing a formal appeal to keep alive a dwindling hope of redemption.
The NFF’s petition alleged irregularities in the issuance of passports that qualified certain Congolese players for the November 16, 2025 playoff fixture in Rabat, Morocco — a match that ended 1-1 before DR Congo advanced to the next stage via a 4-3 penalty shootout victory.
On the central legal argument, the NFF’s case rests on a clash between Congolese domestic law and FIFA’s own regulations. Nigeria argued that DR Congo’s national law does not recognise dual citizenship for adults, raising questions about players believed to hold European passports — including French and Dutch passports — while simultaneously representing the Congolese national team. The NFF’s position was that FIFA had been deceived into clearing those players, since it is not the governing body’s responsibility to ensure individual nations’ citizenship laws are being observed. FIFA, however, operates on a different standard entirely, requiring only that a player hold a valid passport from the country they represent — a threshold all disputed players met through possession of valid Congolese passports, and on that basis FIFA had initially cleared them.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee reviewed the NFF’s submission and found insufficient evidence to support the allegations of ineligibility, allowing the original result to stand — a ruling that represents a significant blow to Nigeria’s residual World Cup qualification hopes and effectively closes down a key pathway to the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The NFF, however, has made clear this is not the end of the road. NFF General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi confirmed the federation’s dissatisfaction and announced that an appeal process had been immediately commenced through the appropriate legal channels. The clock, however, is brutally unforgiving — the NFF has less than 10 days to successfully prosecute its appeal before the 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff tournament kicks off in Mexico on March 26.
Cameroon had separately filed a related petition making similar allegations, with both countries joining forces to challenge what they described as a systemic abuse of player eligibility rules in African football. DR Congo, having survived Nigeria’s elimination challenge, is set to face the winner of the semifinal between New Caledonia and Jamaica in the intercontinental playoff — with two of the six remaining World Cup berths on offer in that tournament.
The stakes for Nigerian football could not be higher. Nigeria missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and failure to reach the 2026 edition would mark the first time the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for consecutive World Cups since making their debut on the global stage — a sobering prospect for a football nation that considers itself among Africa’s elite.
Sport
WAFCON 2026: Cameroon Make History With First Title After 3-0 Win Over Malawi

Cameroon have made history by winning their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title after defeating Malawi 3-0 in the 2026 final in Rabat, Morocco.
The Indomitable Lionesses produced a dominant first-half performance to secure the continental crown, with Marie Ngah scoring twice before Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the third goal.
The victory ends Cameroon’s long wait for the women’s continental championship. The team had previously reached the final on three occasions but failed to lift the trophy. Their fourth appearance in the final finally delivered the title.
Ngah’s Double Puts Cameroon in Control
Cameroon established control of the final during the opening half, with Ngah finding the net twice to put her side in a commanding position.
Eto then completed the scoring, giving Cameroon a three-goal advantage before the interval. Malawi were unable to produce a comeback as Cameroon’s defence maintained its composure throughout the second half.
The result was particularly significant for Malawi, who were appearing in the WAFCON tournament for the first time and had produced one of the competition’s biggest surprises by reaching the final.
Historic Run for Malawi
Malawi’s journey to the final was remarkable considering their ranking and lack of previous WAFCON final experience. Ranked 153rd in the world, they became the lowest-ranked team to reach a WAFCON final.
The Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa, were among the key figures behind Malawi’s impressive campaign, with their goals helping the team advance deep into the competition.
Although they ultimately fell short against Cameroon, Malawi’s run represented a landmark achievement for women’s football in the country.
Cameroon Overcome Nigeria and Morocco
Cameroon’s path to the trophy included victories over two of the tournament’s leading teams.
The Indomitable Lionesses eliminated defending champions Nigeria in the quarter-finals before overcoming hosts Morocco in the semi-finals. They then completed their remarkable campaign by defeating Malawi in the final.
Cameroon also finished the tournament with one of the strongest defensive records, conceding only two goals throughout the competition and none during the knockout stage.
Ngock Named Woman of the Competition
Cameroon’s Monique Ngock was named the Woman of the Competition after an outstanding tournament.
Ngock played a key role in Cameroon’s successful campaign, starting five of their six matches and contributing an assist during the tournament.
Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, meanwhile, finished the tournament as the Golden Boot winner, highlighting the individual quality that helped drive Malawi’s historic campaign.
Cameroon’s triumph marks a new chapter in the country’s women’s football history and gives the Indomitable Lionesses their long-awaited first WAFCON crown.
Sport
Jessica Oji Makes History With World U20 Shot Put Gold for Nigeria

Nigeria’s Jessica Oji has achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, winning gold in the women’s shot put and becoming the country’s first-ever champion in a field event at the competition.
The 19-year-old produced a winning mark of 18.08 metres to secure the title in impressive fashion. Oji was the only competitor in the final to surpass the 18-metre barrier, underlining her dominance throughout the competition.
Oji opened the final with an 18.05m throw before improving to her winning distance of 18.08m. She followed that with 17.95m and 18.07m, while two of her attempts were recorded as fouls. Her consistency was enough to keep her ahead of the field and secure the gold medal.
The victory marks a breakthrough for Nigeria in the field events at the World U20 Championships. Before Oji’s triumph, the country’s previous field-event medals at the competition were Esther Aghatise’s long-jump silver in 2002 and Chinecherem Nnamdi’s javelin bronze in 2021.
Oji’s achievement comes during an extraordinary year in which she switched her international allegiance from the United States to Nigeria. She has quickly established herself as one of the country’s brightest young field-event talents.
Her World U20 triumph also comes shortly after another major international achievement. Oji won silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding a senior-level medal to her growing collection before claiming the world junior title in Oregon.
The historic performance provides another major boost for Nigerian athletics, particularly in the field events, where the country has traditionally enjoyed greater success in sprinting and jumping disciplines. At just 19, Oji has already created a new chapter in Nigeria’s World U20 championship history.
Sport
Infantino Receives Backing to Remain FIFA President After Crisis Meeting

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received strong backing from senior football officials following an emergency meeting convened to address mounting concerns over his leadership. The meeting ended with broad internal support for Infantino to continue serving as president of world football’s governing body.
The crisis meeting was called after weeks of criticism surrounding FIFA’s governance and decision-making. Despite the pressure, members of FIFA’s leadership expressed confidence in Infantino, describing him as the right person to guide the organisation through its current challenges.
According to officials who attended the meeting, there were no formal moves to remove Infantino from office. Instead, participants agreed that maintaining stability within FIFA was essential as the organisation continues preparations for major international competitions and pursues ongoing reforms.
Infantino thanked FIFA officials for their confidence and reiterated his commitment to strengthening transparency, promoting the growth of football worldwide and delivering successful tournaments. He also pledged to continue working with member associations to address concerns raised during the discussions.
The outcome of the meeting effectively reinforces Infantino’s position as FIFA president, easing immediate uncertainty over the organisation’s leadership while attention shifts back to the sport’s global calendar and upcoming competitions.
News3 years agoHardship: We Plan To Establish A National Commodity Board To Crash Food Prices – VP Shettima
- News8 years ago
Blog Reader; Samson Osagiede Celebrates Fiancè Benedicta Daniels’s Birthday With Sweet Words
- Home10 years ago
News Channel claims Donald Trump is an orphan from Pakistan,share alleged childhood photo
- Home10 years ago
Another $175m Found in Patience Jonathan’s wife’s firm’s Bank Account
- Home10 years ago
Oil Spillage: House of Reps Member Shares Photos of the Water her Constituents Drink .
- Home10 years ago
Zara Buhari & Ahmed Indimi’s Wedding Access Card
Sport8 years agoModric, Marta Wins 2018 FIFA Best Player Of The Year Awards ⚽️
- News8 years ago
The Best Video You’ve Seen Today?

