Fulham star retains World Cup hopes amidst DR Congo investigations

Super Eagles AFCON 2025 star Alex Iwobi is hopeful of featuring in the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite Nigeria’s failure to qualify, Afrik Foot reports.

Three coaches were in charge of the Super Eagles in their World Cup qualification journey, but it was Eric Chelle who steadied the ship, but it was a little too late.

The Franco-Malian tactician helped the three-time AFCON Champions to the play-offs spot. They secured a 4-1 win against Gabon, but fell short against DR Congo, losing on penalties.

While DR Congo still have a few International play-off fixtures to seal their place in the Mundial on North-American soil, the NFF officials found a loophole to bring Nigeria into the mix.

The Cameroon FA initially lodged a complaint to FIFA, stating that some of the Congo players hold dual citizenship, a situation the rules of the country doesn’t allow.

The NFF then latched onto Cameroon’s file, also submitting their complaint to FIFA, calling for the exclusion of DR Congo from the World Cup qualification process.

Iwobi hopeful of Super Eagles World Cup qualification

Iwobi, in an interview with Supersports, was quizzed if he’d swap the AFCON tournament for a place at the World Cup, and he hinted he still has hopes of playing in the USA this summer, although faint.

“I mean, we’re still waiting, we’re hoping we can go to the World Cup, but it’s a tough one,” the ex-Arsenal man said.

“Winning AFCON is a great legacy; it’s a great thing to have in your career, to remember the moment, but at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup and a lot of the players haven’t been, I think they’ll go with the World Cup.

“So, I can’t be selfish and say I want to win the AFCON when my teammates want to go to the World Cup. It’s a tough one, I don’t know,” Iwobi concluded.

Iwobi’s Fulham are flying high in the English Premier League; the Cottagers are currently 9th in the English top-flight, six points behind 5th-placed Chelsea.