<h4>2026 FIFA World Cup</h4>
<p><strong><a href="https://openlife.ng/">OpenLife Nigeria</a></strong> reports that although Nigeria’s hope of playing at summer’s World Cup has finally been nailed as world football governing body, FIFA, has rejected the country’s petition to get DR Congo disqualified for fielding ineligible players against the Super Eagles in the final African playoffs in Morocco last November, Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is not accepting the verdict of “No show” against Nigeria and has commenced the process of appealing the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).<br />
“We have received the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on our petition, but we are not satisfied with the decision, which rejected our petition.<br />
“I want to assure Nigerians that the NFF has immediately commenced the process of appealing the decision,” said NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi on Wednesday, March 17.<br />
Football insiders however revealed last night that what worked against Nigeria’s petition against DR Congo was the lateness in submission of the petition to FIFA after the November 16, 2025 Playoff final in Rabat, Morocco.<br />
It was learnt that the Disciplinary Committee did not even look at the merit or otherwise of the Nigerian protest against DR Congo as the petition was not submitted within the acceptable timeframe for such. It was also learnt that the accompanying protest fee was not paid.<br />
The NFF had presented a petition to world football-governing body, FIFA days after the said match, based on perceived fraud in the issuance of passports that qualified a number of players of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Playoff.<br />
Both teams were level at 1–1 after regulation time and extra time before the Congolese side prevailed in a sudden-death penalty shootout to secure victory.<br />
Nigeria’s protest was based on what the NFF described as perceived fraud in the issuance of passports that enabled a number of DR Congo players to qualify for the playoff.<br />
With the initial complaint now dismissed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, the NFF will seek a review of the case through the appeal process in an effort to overturn the ruling.<br />
It was also speculated last night that the NFF may head to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in the bid to upturn the FIFA decision despite the Inter Confederation Playoffs involving six nations is barely a week to kick off in Mexico.<br />
Meanwhile, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup.<br />
The quadrennial international men&#8217;s soccer championship is always contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA.<br />
The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.<br />
It will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities—eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.<br />
The tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations, and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from 32.</p>
<p><strong>Morocco Won 2025 Africa Cup of Nations&#8212;CAF Declares</strong></p>
<p>Similarly, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board has upheld Morocco’s protest and ruled that Senegal forfeited the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, officially awarding the match 3-0 to Morocco.<br />
The decision overturns an earlier ruling by the CAF Disciplinary Board and follows an appeal lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) regarding incidents during the final.<br />
CAF confirmed that Senegal’s conduct during the match fell under Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, resulting in the forfeiture. The Appeal Board further determined that the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) breached Article 82 through the actions of its team, validating Morocco’s protest and formally declaring them winners.<br />
In a separate ruling, Moroccan player Ismaël Saibari was found guilty of misconduct. His punishment was reduced to a two-match suspension (one suspended), and a previously imposed $100,000 fine was cancelled.<br />
CAF also addressed off-field incidents involving Morocco. The federation was held responsible for the conduct of ball boys, with the associated fine reduced to $50,000. A $100,000 fine for interference around the VAR review area was upheld, while a sanction related to a laser incident was reduced to $10,000.<br />
All other motions in the case were dismissed, bringing a conclusive end to proceedings surrounding one of the most contentious finals in AFCON history.<br />
The ruling concludes a prolonged dispute that had cast uncertainty over the outcome of the tournament and reinforces CAF’s enforcement of competition regulations in high-stakes matches.<br />
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, a biennial football tournament contested by the men&#8217;s national teams of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).<br />
It was hosted by <a href="https://punchng.com/">Morocco</a> — the second time the country had hosted the tournament, after 1988 — following the stripping of hosting rights from Guinea due to inadequate preparations.</p>
<p>Due to a scheduling conflict with the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in June and July, the Africa Cup of Nations was played between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026 — the first time it was held over the Christmas and New Year period.</p>

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