Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has boycotted training ahead of their crucial 2026 World Cup African playoff semi-final against Gabon, citing unpaid allowances and bonuses from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Team captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the protest in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, stressing that the decision had nothing to do with any special bonus demands, as widely reported by some media outlets.
“Once resolution is found, we will be the first to confirm,” Ekong wrote. “Any other statement or claim, especially demands other than the rightful request written about below, is FALSE. All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead.”
Okay News reports that the players and technical staff refused to take part in their scheduled Tuesday evening training session in Rabat, where the team has been camping ahead of Thursday’s semi-final fixture.
Sources within the team disclosed that the players are still owed allowances from their successful qualification for both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2026 World Cup playoffs, with some senior players yet to receive bonuses dating as far back as 2019.
The captain’s statement came amid growing speculation that the squad had demanded an increase in bonuses for the upcoming playoff rounds. Ekong’s clarification, however, confirmed that the protest was strictly over outstanding entitlements, not fresh financial requests.
All 24 invited players under head coach Eric Chelle remain in camp, though it is unclear when training will resume. Team officials have reportedly held late-night meetings with NFF representatives in a bid to resolve the impasse.
Nigeria are set to face Gabon in one of the semi-final matches of the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the winner proceeding to face either Congo DR or Cameroon in the final for a spot in the intercontinental playoff.
The incident has once again spotlighted the recurring issue of unpaid bonuses in Nigerian football, a problem that has frequently marred national team preparations before major tournaments.
As of press time, the NFF has yet to issue an official statement addressing the players’ grievances or confirming whether the payments will be made before the Thursday encounter.
