Nigeria's Super Eagles have ended a bonus dispute that caused a training boycott, allowing the team to focus on their crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 African qualifier playoff against Gabon. The match is set for Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, with the winner advancing to the final. Captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the resolution, emphasizing unity ahead of the game.
Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, boycotted training on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in protest over unpaid bonuses dating back to 2019. The dispute involved both players and technical staff demanding resolution of outstanding allowances and match bonuses. Media reports highlighted the tension, but captain William Troost-Ekong clarified the situation in a post on X, stating, “Any other statement/claim or especially [sic] demands other than the rightful request..is FALSE. All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead.”
By Wednesday evening, the issue was resolved with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), enabling the team to return to training at the Institut Royal de Formation Des Cadres in Salé, outside Rabat. Troost-Ekong later confirmed, “Issue resolved. We are together and, as before, focussed on the games ahead!” NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau expressed confidence, saying, “We believe in the players and their ability to make Nigeria proud, not only on Thursday, but throughout these playoffs. We have a team capable of earning a World Cup ticket.” Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen added, “These boys that I know, that I have worked with, want to go to the FIFA World Cup... I have faith in them to rise up to the occasion.”
The semifinal clash against Gabon's Panthers is scheduled for Thursday, November 13, at 5 p.m. local time at the Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat. This marks the 10th meeting between the teams, with Nigeria holding a strong record: five wins, three draws, and one loss to Gabon in a 1990 World Cup qualifier (2-1). Key players include Nigeria's Victor Osimhen, who scored five goals in qualifiers, and Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who netted four against Gambia. The winner advances to Sunday's final against either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the ultimate victor proceeding to March's intercontinental playoffs for a spot in the 2026 World Cup.
