Nigeria’s quest for a spot in the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has been thrown into chaos as the Super Eagles’ entire squad and backroom staff staged a dramatic boycott of their scheduled training session in Rabat, Morocco, protesting long-overdue payments from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The standoff, which erupted just 48 hours before Thursday’s pivotal Africa playoff semi-final against Gabon, has ignited widespread outrage among fans, journalists, and lawmakers, exposing deep-seated issues of mismanagement and broken promises within Nigerian football.
The protest began in the afternoon at the team’s base, the Rive Hotel in Rabat, where the 23 players already in camp, including stars like Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, and captain William Troost-Ekong, along with head coach Eric Chelle and his technical crew, refused to step onto the pitch. Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, the last expected arrival, had yet to join, leaving the group at 23 ahead of the full 24-man roster.
In a strongly worded statement circulated via social media and confirmed by multiple sources, the team declared: “The full squad, including officials, withheld from training today in Morocco because of the unresolved issues with outstanding payments. The Super Eagles are awaiting a quick resolution to continue preparations for Thursday’s game with Gabon.”
Veteran BBC Africa Sport journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, who broke the story, elaborated that the grievances stem from unpaid bonuses and allowances dating back to 2019, covering approximately 30 international matches.
These include rewards for qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and reaching the 2026 World Cup playoffs, achievements that should have netted each player significant sums, estimated by some reports at up to $6 million collectively.
Sports photojournalist PoojaMedia, on the ground in Rabat, live-tweeted the escalating tension: “According to the latest reports, Super Eagles haven’t been paid bonuses & allowances in 2 years. I’m going to the Super Eagles hotel in Rabat, Morocco now.” Her updates, including video recaps of the day’s drama, painted a picture of a locked-down camp, with NFF officials scrambling for solutions amid growing frustration. One anonymous source close to the team described the mood as “a matter of respect and fairness,” emphasizing that players are “tired of empty promises.”
This isn’t an isolated incident. Nigerian football has a history of payment disputes derailing preparations, from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers to recent AFCON camps. In 2024, similar rows led to public spats between players and the NFF, fueling the viral #SaveNigerianFootball campaign.
The boycott coincides with heightened scrutiny of the NFF. Earlier this week, the federation lodged a formal protest with FIFA over the appointment of South African and Beninese referees for the Gabon tie, arguing potential bias due to those nations’ roles in Nigeria’s qualifying group.
But the real storm is financial: Nigeria’s House of Representatives launched a probe in October 2025 into the alleged misuse of over $25 million in FIFA and CAF grants to the NFF between 2015 and 2025. Lawmakers have accused officials of “embezzlement and opacity,” with calls for forensic audits and player payment guarantees.
As of late Tuesday, the NFF had not issued an official statement. However, unconfirmed reports suggest negotiations are underway, with the federation offering partial payments for recent qualifiers, terms the players have rejected, countering for full settlement plus “special bonuses” for the playoffs.