DR Congo Eliminates Nigeria in World Cup Playoff Thriller
Newsextra reports that the Super Eagles of Nigeria have been knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoff series following a dramatic loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday night.
The high-stakes encounter, played in Rabat, Morocco, ended 1–1 after extra time before DR Congo sealed victory in a tense penalty shootout. Nigeria opened scoring early through Frank Onyeka in the 3rd minute, but the Congolese responded with an equalizer from Meschack Elia in the 32nd minute.
With both sides failing to break the deadlock after 120 minutes, the battle proceeded to a shootout, where DR Congo showed greater composure, converting four penalties against Nigeria’s three. Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba scored the decisive spot-kick that officially ended Nigeria’s World Cup hopes.
This defeat means the Super Eagles will not qualify through the African playoff route, marking a major setback for the team and millions of fans across the nation. DR Congo, on the other hand, advances to the inter-confederation playoff scheduled for March 2026.
