Barely 24 hours to Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff against Gabon, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has confirmed that the team’s long-standing bonus dispute with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)remains unresolved.
The atmosphere in camp turned tense on Tuesday after players reportedly boycotted their scheduled training session in Rabat, Morocco, in protest over unpaid match bonuses and allowances.
The debts, according to team sources, date back to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and previous World Cup qualifying rounds.
The squad’s decision not to train has raised concerns about Nigeria’s readiness for Thursday’s semi-final clash against Gabon.
According to reports, while head coach Eric Chelle and his technical crew are also owed salaries, they have not joined the players’ protest.
Troost-Ekong, however, moved to clarify the situation through a post shared via football journalist Oluwashina Okeleji on X (formerly Twitter).
“Once resolution is found, we will be the first to confirm,” the defender wrote.
“Any other statement or claim, especially demands beyond the rightful request mentioned below, is FALSE.
All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead.”
His statement aimed to dispel rumours of player demands beyond the unpaid bonuses, emphasizing that the team’s focus remains on the tournament despite the financial distraction.
Meanwhile, officials from the National Sports Commission, led by Shehu Dikko, have insisted that all outstanding payments were processed earlier this week.
However, players have maintained that no such funds have been received in their account.
The dispute has reignited memories of previous crises in Nigerian football, where bonus disagreementsdisrupted tournaments and even led to player boycotts.
Despite the turmoil, the Super Eagles are expected to honour their playoff fixture against Gabon on Thursday evening at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Kick-off is set for 17:00 local time.
Victory in the encounter would see Nigeria advance to Sunday’s final against either Cameroon or DR Congo, moving the team closer to securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
For now, however, uncertainty continues to hang over the squad’s morale, with concerns that the off-field drama could affect performance on the pitch.
The ongoing dispute underscores a familiar pattern of administrative lapses within the NFF. Similar financial stand-offs have plagued the Super Eagles in the past, including before major tournaments such as the 2014 World Cup in Braziland the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
