Nigeria’s national football team has refocused its attention on Thursday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifier playoff against Gabon following the resolution of a bonus dispute that briefly disrupted preparations.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed that the disagreement over unpaid bonuses, which led to a training boycott on Tuesday, has now been settled with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
“Issue resolved. We are together and as before focused on the games ahead!” Troost-Ekong wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, without providing further details about the agreement.
Reports from local media indicated that the players’ unpaid bonuses dated as far back as 2019, prompting frustration within the squad ahead of the crucial qualifier. The NFF has yet to issue an official statement on the matter despite multiple requests for comment.
The Super Eagles will face Gabon in the semi-final of the African Qualifier play-offs on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, as they aim to secure a spot in Sunday’s final against either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The winner of the African play-offs will progress to the intercontinental play-offs in March, where two additional nations will earn qualification to join the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
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