Nigeria was eliminated from the qualification process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, losing 4-3 in a penalty shootout to the Democratic Republic of Congo after a tense 1-1 draw during regulation time at the Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
The Super Eagles started strong, with Victor Osimhen putting pressure on the DR Congo defense.
Frank Onyeka opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the box that deflected off Axel Tuanzebe, misleading goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
However, the Leopards regained their composure and began to find their rhythm, with Theo Bongonda and Cédric Bakambu exploiting space on counterattacks.
Just after the half-hour mark, Nigerian Wilfred Ndidi lost possession in midfield, allowing Mechak Elia to break free and score past Stanley Nwabali.
After halftime, Osimhen came close to scoring twice—one header went wide, and another shot was saved by Mpasi—while Bakambu tested Nwabali with a long-range effort. The match ended 1-1, leading to extra time.
In extra time, opportunities became scarce as fatigue and caution took over, with both defenses remaining largely unchallenged.
The penalty shootout introduced its own drama. Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon missed their early chances, but Nwabali excelled by saving two penalties from DR Congo.
Despite Nwabali’s impressive saves, Nigeria’s missed penalties from Bassey, Simon, and Semi Ajayi proved costly, as Chancel Mbemba scored the decisive penalty, sending the Leopards to the intercontinental playoffs for the World Cup.
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For DR Congo, which last participated in a World Cup as Zaire in 1974, this victory marks a significant achievement in a determined qualifying campaign characterized by strong defensive play and key moments in close matches.
They will now advance to the inter-confederation playoff scheduled for March 23-31, 2026.
Nigeria, aiming for their seventh World Cup appearance, will reflect on their strong start that failed to translate into control and the missed chances surrounding the equalizer.
Their journey ends despite a vigorous performance and extended periods of possession.
This defeat marks Nigeria’s second consecutive failure at the playoff stage, following their loss to Ghana on away goals in the final qualifying round for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
It is the first time Nigeria has failed to qualify for two consecutive World Cups since its debut in 1994.
