Nigeria’s hopes of returning to the World Cup stage have been dashed after a painful defeat to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the African playoff final, ending their bid for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Super Eagles, coached by Eric Chelle, fell short in Rabat, Morocco, where the decisive match ended in a penalty shootout that swung in favour of DR Congo. The loss marks another major setback for Nigeria, who also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament.

With the defeat, Nigeria are officially out of contention for the 2026 World Cup, making it the second consecutive edition they will miss. This is despite appearing in six of the previous seven tournaments—a run that had cemented their reputation as one of Africa’s World Cup regulars.

DR Congo’s victory, however, propels them into the inter-confederation playoffs, where six teams will battle for the final two slots at the expanded 2026 World Cup. Their dramatic campaign continues as they push for what would be their first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they participated under the name Zaire during the tournament in West Germany.