Nigeria’s Super Eagles staged a defiant boycott of training sessions in Morocco on Tuesday, plunging preparations for Thursday’s pivotal World Cup qualifier against Gabon into disarray as frustrations boiled over unpaid bonuses and subpar accommodations owed for nearly two years.
The standoff, erupting just days after the team’s arrival in Rabat, saw players and coaching staff refuse to hit the pitch at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Complex, citing the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) chronic failure to disburse allowances and match-winning incentives dating back to 2023.
The protest intensified hours after midfielder Alex Iwobi’s viral video exposed the team’s dilapidated hotel quarters, featuring peeling walls, erratic power and a far cry from the standards expected for Africa’s three-time champions.
Nigerian sports journalist Pooja Media, embedded with the squad, broke the news on X, posting: “BREAKING NEWS: Super Eagles players & officials boycott training today in Morocco because of unresolved issues with outstanding payments. This is really sad.”
She elaborated from the scene: “According to latest reports, Super Eagles hasn’t been paid bonuses & allowances in 2 years. I’m going to the Super Eagles hotel in Rabat, Morocco 🇲🇦 now,” underscoring the depth of discontent among stars like Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi, who jetted in amid the furore.
Pooja, donning her signature flair, quipped en route: “Let me enter Super Eagles camp for real time news about this bonus & allowances saga. Where is my ankara abeg?” — a light-hearted jab amid the gravity, as she vowed to unearth on-the-ground truths.
The Eagles, who kicked off camp Sunday with early birds including Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, now face a morale nadir that threatens their African playoff push. A win over Gabon would propel them to a November 16 showdown with either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo for a 2026 World Cup berth.
The NFF, silent as the impasse deepened, has drawn fire for mismanaging funds despite FIFA’s steady inflows, echoing past mutinies that have scarred the team’s legacy. Analysts warn the episode could dent Nigeria’s aspirations in a group where every point counts, with players demanding resolution before lacing up.
As negotiations flicker behind closed doors, the boycott lays bare the federation’s fiscal woes, forcing a reckoning on welfare in a nation where football dreams collide with harsh realities.
