FIFA has officially confirmed that DR Congo will participate in the inter-confederation play-off, while Nigeria has unfortunately missed out

The governing body of world football, FIFA, has officially announced the six nations that will participate in the FIFA Inter-Confederation Play-Off Tournament, with DR Congo confirmed as Africa’s representative.

The announcement decisively concludes Nigeria’s aspirations of finding a last-minute pathway to the 2026 FIFA World Cup via the playoff system.

FIFA released a communication to journalists prior to the competition, detailing the tournament’s structure and listing the countries that will participate.

The confirmation from DR Congo indicates that Nigeria will not have a chance to participate, as the football authorities had attempted to reverse their elimination in the CAF play-offs that took place in November 2025.

The Nigeria Football Federation submitted a formal complaint, asserting that DR Congo included ineligible players in their crucial match.

The match concluded with a score of 1-1 in regulation time, leading to a penalty shootout in which Nigeria was unable to prevail.

Nigeria sought to overturn the result and ensure the Super Eagles’ participation in the inter-confederation play-offs.

Nonetheless, with FIFA’s recent confirmation of the qualified teams, that challenge has not changed the final line-up.

FIFA has announced that the play-off tournament will include six nations competing for the final two spots in the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The six teams that have been confirmed are Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname.

The nations involved will begin the tournament on March 26, striving to secure their spots in the expanded global showcase.