Nigeria’s journey toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended in disappointment on Sunday night after the Super Eagles fell to the Democratic Republic of Congo in a dramatic CAF playoff final decided by penalties.
The highly anticipated fixture, played with World Cup qualification on the line, saw Nigeria draw first blood. Midfielder Frank Onyeka gave the Super Eagles an early advantage when his drive took a deflection and beat the Congolese goalkeeper.
But the momentum shifted before halftime. DR Congo capitalized on a moment of indecision in Nigeria’s backline, with Mechak Elia reacting quickest to punish the error and fire past Stanley Nwabali to level the contest.
Despite both teams producing spells of pressure across the second half and extra time, neither could secure a winner, leaving the tightly contested encounter locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes.
The lottery of penalties ultimately sealed Nigeria’s fate. Misses from Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi handed the Congolese side a pathway to the intercontinental playoffs — the final qualification hurdle for the World Cup.
With the victory, DR Congo advances to the six-team intercontinental tournament scheduled for March 23–31, 2026. The competition will determine the last two nations to book their places at the 2026 World Cup.
