World Cup 2026 draw live updates

By Olayonwa Toyib -
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World Cup 2026 draw live updates: Results, groups and match schedule from today’s ceremony World Cup draw results — reaction The United States will play Australia, Paraguay and a European playoff winner in Group D of next summer’s World Cup. The draw for the tournament took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and followed President Donald Trump receiving the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Dutch feeling happy with their draw Optimism and relief could be a good way to describe the Netherlands’ feelings about the World Cup draw. They have been placed into Group F alongside Japan, Tunisia and one of Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden. Getting Japan instead of a top-ranked CONMEBOL team might seem like a tough break. But there are five Japan internationals in the Eredivisie, such as Ayase Ueda, Ko Itakura, and Tsuyoshi Watanabe, and that knowledge could play to Ronald Koeman's advantage. Tunisia will be challenging, so too the European playoff winner, but Oranje s...
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Nigeria's 2026 World Cup

By Olayonwa Toyib -

How Nigeria's 2026 World Cup hopes were ended by DR Congo on penalties amid ‘voodoo’ allegations

Nigeria were eliminated from World Cup qualifying in dramatic circumstances


 Nigeria World Cup hopes ended.

Nigeria will not play the 2026 World Cup after they loses to DR Congo 4-3 on penalties in a qualifying play-off.


Nigeria: 3 (Scored: Onyemaechi, Adams, Ejuke; Missed/saved: Simon, Ajayi. Bassey, 

DR Congo: 4 (Scored: Mayele, Sadiki, Mbemba, Balikwisha; Saved: Moutoussamy, Tuanzebe.

Nigeria's Frank Onyeka scored early (3’) before Meschak Elia equalised (32’) as the match finished 1-1 over 120 minutes.


DR Congo held their nerve in the shootout in Rabat, Morocco and progress to the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2026.

After the match, Nigeria manager Eric Chelle confronted several DR Congo staff members and had to be separated.

Chelle then alleged DR Congo players had used ‘voodoo’ during the penalties, something a DR Congo representative later denied.


Nigeria manager Eric Chelle accuses DR Congo players of ‘doing some voodoo’

At the end of his press conference, Chelle asked reporters why they had not brought up the incident.


Chelle, speaking French, then presented his version of events: “DR Congo guys were doing maraboutage” (technically a Muslim holy man, marabout has connotations of a north African witch doctor).


Chelle, 48, later doubled down on his claims then went to the mix-zone where he repeated the claim in English: “During all of the penalties, the players of Congo were doing some voodoo.”


A representative of DR Congo denied Chelle’s claims when asked by The Athletic.


DR Congo's Sebastien Desabre: Chelle altercation was ‘not an issue’

Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle has alleged that DR Congo’s players were practicing “voodoo” during their penalty shootout victory over his side on Sunday.


When Chancel Mbemba scored the winning penalty, Chelle confronted several members of DR Congo’s staff including the head coach Sebastien Desabre.


He had to be separated from them by members of Nigeria’s backroom team.


Desabre appeared first for his post-match press conference and said that the altercation was “not an issue”.


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