Former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo has urged Nigerians to stop relying on speculation surrounding DR Congo’s alleged use of an ineligible player during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process, insisting that only documentary evidence of an official protest can establish grounds for further action.
Ekpo maintained that Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the tournament remains unchanged, regardless of reports suggesting that FIFA privately acknowledged an eligibility irregularity involving the Congolese team.
“Let’s stop hearing them say, them say, then we start talking left and right. It doesn’t change the matter, once and for all,” Ekpo said.
“The World Cup has come and gone. Nigeria’s position of not being there is still there.”
The former international stressed that discussions surrounding DR Congo’s eligibility controversy should be based on verified facts rather than unsubstantiated claims circulating in the public domain.
“Congo DR, whatever people say, does not really matter. So we should not be living on speculation,” he added.
Nigeria’s World Cup hopes ended following a penalty-shootout defeat to DR Congo in the African play-off in November 2025. The Nigeria Football Federation subsequently challenged the eligibility of Congolese players, but FIFA rejected the complaint in March 2026, prompting the federation to announce an appeal.
Ekpo believes the focus should now be on establishing the precise details of any formal submissions and the responses received from football’s world governing body.
“If they did, let us see all the protesting papers, all what they wrote, so that we can now blame FIFA and hold FIFA accountable,” he stated.
He argued that making the relevant documents available would provide a clearer basis for determining whether FIFA had acted appropriately and whether further legal or administrative steps were justified.
For Ekpo, the controversy should not become another exercise in raising expectations without evidence.
His message is clear: Nigeria cannot overturn a World Cup disappointment through speculation. Any challenge to FIFA must be supported by official records, verifiable facts and a properly established case.
