RABAT, Morocco — Players of Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team, the Super Eagles, have boycotted training in protest over unpaid allowances and bonuses owed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
A source within the camp confirmed that the team and its officials refused to participate in their scheduled Tuesday, November 11, 2025, training session in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of their 2026 World Cup playoff semi-final against Gabon.
The players are said to be demanding payment for allowances from their qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as well as bonuses tied to the current World Cup playoff campaign.
Some senior members of the squad are reportedly still owed bonuses dating back to 2019.
Captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the protest in a post on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the action was not over new or increased bonus demands but to compel the NFF to settle existing debts.
“The Super Eagles are not boycotting training over any special bonus demand ahead of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup,” Ekong wrote.
“This is about unpaid allowances and bonuses. All we want is a quick resolution so we can focus on the big games ahead.”
Nigeria are due to face Gabon on Thursday, November 13, 2025, in one of the semi-finals of the African World Cup playoff series.
The winner will go on to play Congo DR or Cameroon in the final, with the victor securing Africa’s single slot at the intercontinental playoff.
All 24 invited players, along with manager Eric Chelle and his coaching staff, are currently based in Rabat, but training is not expected to resume until the issue is addressed by football authorities.
The NFF has faced repeated criticism over its handling of player and coach payments.
In 2024, President Bola Tinubu approved a ₦12 billion bailout to clear outstanding wages, allowances, and bonuses owed to senior and youth national teams — including the women’s and U-20 squads.
Despite that intervention, fresh arrears appear to have accumulated, reigniting tensions between the federation and players.
The NFF has yet to issue an official response to the latest boycott.
The standoff comes at a critical juncture for the Super Eagles, who are seeking a return to the World Cup after missing out in 2022.
