As Nigeria prepares for one of its most consequential matches in recent years, the Super Eagles have received a timely and significant boost. Midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has been cleared to feature in Sunday’s CAF World Cup qualifying playoff final against DR Congo in Rabat. The confirmation ends 48 hours of uncertainty and restores one of Eric Chelle’s most influential players to full contention.
Ndidi was widely believed to be suspended after receiving a yellow card during Nigeria’s 4 to 1 extra-time victory over Gabon in Thursday’s semi-final. That caution was initially assumed to be his second of the entire qualifying campaign, following an earlier booking in the 2024 group stage match against Benin, which Nigeria won 3 to 0. Under long-accepted interpretations of the competition rules, two accumulated yellow cards trigger an automatic suspension for the next match.
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The assumption was so firm that head coach Eric Chelle had already begun preparing for a midfield battle without the Besiktas player, describing the situation as an unavoidable setback given the intensity of the playoff calendar.
However, clarity arrived on Saturday when the Nigeria Football Federation confirmed that Ndidi remains fully eligible. According to CAF’s update, yellow cards recorded in the standard qualifying rounds do not carry over into the playoff phase. The cards are tracked separately, meaning Ndidi enters the final with just one booking from the semi-final and is therefore cleared to play.
The decision is a strategic victory for Nigeria. Ndidi’s presence provides both defensive assurance and transitional balance in the middle of the pitch, qualities the Super Eagles will need against a disciplined and energetic DR Congo side.
Nigeria progressed to the final after an inspired extra-time performance against Gabon, while DR Congo sealed their place with a dramatic late victory over Cameroon. Both sides now face a winner-advances-and-loser-exits scenario, with Africa’s remaining ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup still on the line.
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Sunday’s showdown in Rabat will determine who moves on to the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico next March, where the continent’s final representative for the global tournament will be decided. With Ndidi cleared and confidence high, Nigeria enters the final with renewed momentum and belief.
