Top officials said Super Eagles hopes of still making it to this year’s World Cup with the disqualification of DR Congo have been boosted by FIFA sanctions against Malaysia for fielding several ineligible players in a number of matches.
FIFA fined Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and also upturned the results of their friendly matches to 3-0 defeats over false documentation of seven naturalised players.
The entire FAM executive committee has since resigned as a result of this scandal.
Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, has cited the Malaysia case, while maintaining that Nigeria have a tight case against DR Congo.
Nigeria have petitioned FIFA that DRC fielded several ineligible players against them in a final 2026 World Cup Playoffs in November in Morocco.
They allege that the documents that got the players clearance to play against the Super Eagles were not duly obtained.
FIFA are to deliver their verdict on this case soon.
