Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has accused DR Congo of using “voodoo” during their penalty shoot-out win in the FIFA World Cup qualifier 2026. DR Congo defeated Nigeria 4–3 on penalties in the African World Cup play-off final and secured a place in the intercontinental play-offs scheduled for March.

The match ended 1–1 in regular time. However, DR Congo kept their composure during the shoot-out and crushed Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the World Cup.

Clash on the Touchline

Videos circulating on social media show Chelle arguing with DR Congo’s coaching staff just before the final penalty. He raised his arms, shouted at the opposition bench, and even picked up a water bottle. A member of Nigeria’s staff pulled him back to calm him down.

But once DR Congo scored the decisive kick, Chelle ran toward their dugout again. His own team stopped him before the situation escalated further.

Chelle Alleges Ritual Activity

After the match, Chelle openly accused the opposition of wrongdoing. He told reporters, "During the entire penalty shootout, the guy from DR Congo was doing voodoo."

He added, "Every time, every time, every time. That's why I was a little nervous after him."

When asked what he saw, he waved his right arm to demonstrate and said, "Something like that." He continued, "I don't know if it was water or something." According to reports, DR Congo has denied the accusation.

Chaotic Shoot-Out and High Stakes

The shoot-out itself was chaotic. Four penalties were saved and another was missed. DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba still managed to score the winning penalty, even as a bottle flew in his direction.

Nigeria entered the match as favourites. They are 19 places above DR Congo in the FIFA rankings. Yet the defeat means Nigeria will miss the World Cup for the second consecutive time.