FIFA has sanctioned the Nigeria Football Federation and the Congolese Football Association over separate disciplinary breaches during the countries’ 2026 World Cup qualifying play-off in November 2025.
The world football body fined the NFF 1,000 Swiss francs after objects were thrown by spectators during the match. DR Congo received a heavier fine of 5,000 Swiss francs after its supporters were found to have used laser pointers or similar devices.
The sanctions relate to crowd control and match-day conduct during the play-off between both countries on November 16, 2025.
Nigeria lost that match 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, a result that sent DR Congo into the inter-confederation play-off tournament scheduled for later this month in Mexico.
FIFA’s disciplinary action comes against the backdrop of a separate complaint filed by the NFF after the game. Nigerian football authorities had questioned the eligibility of some DR Congo players, arguing that issues around nationality documentation and dual citizenship required closer scrutiny.
However, there is no public indication that FIFA’s latest sanctions amount to a final ruling on that protest.
Reports in Nigeria said the summary released by FIFA was intended to inform the media about disciplinary cases, while the governing body communicates full legal decisions directly to the federations concerned.
That distinction is important because speculation has continued in recent weeks over whether Nigeria’s protest could still affect DR Congo’s participation in the six-team inter-confederation play-off.
For now, DR Congo remains listed among the teams due to compete for one of the final places at the 2026 World Cup, while Nigeria continues to await a formal decision on its complaint.
The sanctions themselves are limited to the incidents recorded during the match and do not publicly resolve the separate eligibility dispute.
