2026 World Cup playoffs: knocked out, Nigeria accuses the DRC of using ‘voodoo magic’
Nigeria coach Éric Chelle denounced “suspicious” practices by the Congolese staff after the Super Eagles were eliminated on penalties in the final of the 2026 World Cup playoffs.
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Nigeria coach Éric Chelle accused the Democratic Republic of the Congo of resorting to “voodoo magic” during the penalty shootout that separated the two nations on Sunday in Morocco, in the final of the qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to the press, Chelle expressed his frustration over the behavior of certain members of the Congolese staff during the decisive shootout, which he found suspicious. The Super Eagles had taken the lead in the first half thanks to a deflected shot from Frank Onyeka. But the Leopards equalized through Mechak Elia, and the match ended level (1-1) after 120 minutes. After a penalty shootout missed by Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi, DR Congo secured its spot in the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for next March.
“Throughout the shootout, a member of the Congolese staff was, in my view, doing voodoo magic,” Chelle accused at a press conference in Rabat. “That’s why I was nervous about him.” When pressed about what he had observed, the Nigerian coach added: “He was spraying something… I don’t know if it was water or something else.”