Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has dismissed reports suggesting that the team’s recent training boycott was due to demands for special bonuses ahead of Thursday’s crucial 2026 World Cup playoff clash.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Ekong clarified that the players’ decision to skip training was a result of long-standing unpaid allowances and bonuses owed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“We are not asking for anything new or special,” Ekong wrote. “We just want what is due to us to be paid so we can focus fully on the big games ahead.”
The clarification comes amid media speculation that the squad had requested an upward review of their match bonuses.
However, sources within the team confirmed that the players are yet to receive their entitlements for qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and for reaching the ongoing 2026 World Cup playoff round.
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It was also gathered that some senior members of the team are still being owed bonuses dating back to 2019.
The standoff led to the cancellation of the Super Eagles’ scheduled training session in Rabat on Tuesday evening. Team officials and players are said to have agreed not to resume training until the NFF addresses their grievances.
Nigeria is set to face Gabon in the semi-finals of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, with the winner advancing to play either Congo DR or Cameroon in the final for a spot at the intercontinental playoff.
All 24 players invited by head coach Eric Chelle are currently in camp in Morocco as the NFF works to resolve the issue before Thursday’s decisive encounter.