Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup ended in controversy after head coach Eric Chelle accused a DR Congo staff member of performing “voodoo” during the tense penalty shootout that sealed the Super Eagles’ elimination.
The playoff final in Rabat, Morocco, stretched to 120 minutes and ended 1–1 before Nigeria fell 4–3 on penalties at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The defeat confirmed the team’s absence from the World Cup for a second straight tournament.
Chelle voiced his anger during his post-match interaction with journalists, claiming that one of DR Congo’s staff repeatedly made unusual gestures during the penalty review phase. His comments followed the circulation of a video posted by ESPN Africa on X on Monday, Nov. 17, which captured him speaking about his reaction during the heated moments of the shootout.
“During all the penalty decision, a guy of Congo did some voodoo… Every time, every time, every time. So this is why I was a little nervous after him,” he said.
Pressed further to describe what he witnessed, Chelle mimicked the actions he found suspicious. “Something like that. I don’t know if it’s water or something like that [he was spraying it up],” he added.
Chelle’s accusations add a dramatic layer to Nigeria’s exit, intensifying scrutiny of the chaotic scenes that occurred during one of the most crucial matches in the Super Eagles’ recent history.
The Cambridge dictionary defines ‘Voodoo’ as: “A religion, influenced by traditional African religions, that involves magic and attempts to communicate with spirits and dead people, common in parts of the Caribbean, especially Haiti, and in parts of the southern United States.”
Watch what he said in the video below.
