Nigeria misses 2026 World Cup again after dramatic penalty shootout loss to DR Congo
Nigeria will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in a dramatic penalty shootout in the CAF World Cup playoff final in Rabat on Sunday. The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4-1 in the semifinals after extra time, with Victor Osimhen scoring twice and Chidera Ejuke adding a goal, but their World Cup hopes crashed in dramatic fashion. The match ended 1-1 after the standard 90 minutes against DR Congo, with the game going into extra time. Nigeria advanced 4-1 after extra time against Gabon, but could not overcome DR Congo in the final. The match went to penalties where Nigeria lost 3-4, with missed penalty kicks ending their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The decision by Éric Chelle, coach of DR Congo, to accuse the opposing side of using "voodoo" […]
