DR Congo U23 travel dispute puts Nigeria qualifier in doubt

DR Congo’s Under-23 team could face disqualification from their 2027 U23 AFCON qualifying tie after players reportedly refused to travel to Nigeria over unpaid bonuses.

BSN Sports reported on Saturday, November 14, that the players were unhappy about outstanding payments allegedly owed to them by the Congolese government.

The dispute has cast doubt over whether DR Congo will fulfil the second leg of their second-round tie. If the team fails to attend the fixture, they could face consequences, although neither the Congolese football authorities nor the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had officially confirmed the reported boycott or issued details of any disciplinary action at the time of reporting.

DR Congo took a major step towards the next qualifying round by beating Nigeria 2-0 in the first leg at TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on Friday, November 13.

That result means Nigeria must win by at least three clear goals in the return match to overturn the deficit and progress. However, the reported disagreement over bonuses could alter the situation if DR Congo do not make the journey to Nigeria.

The return fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State.

Nigeria will hope the dispute is settled so the match can go ahead, while continuing preparations for a game in which they need a substantial victory to keep their qualification campaign alive.

The tie forms part of the second qualifying round for the 2027 U23 AFCON in Egypt. The tournament will also decide Africa’s representatives in the men’s football competition at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

For now, the reported refusal by DR Congo’s players remains unconfirmed by CAF. The outcome of the qualification battle will therefore depend on any official decision over the alleged boycott and whether the scheduled second leg takes place.