Nigerian stars skip training before World Cup play-off

A tense atmosphere is hanging over the Nigerian national team.

Nigeria team in chaos.

According to AS , all of Nigeria's players refused to train on November 11 in Rabat (Morocco). The incident happened just two days before the 2026 World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Gabon.

The reason is said to be because the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has not paid outstanding bonuses and allowances from many previous tournaments.

According to sources at the training camp, the players have repeatedly asked the NFF to pay outstanding bonuses from 2019, including bonuses for the 2025 AFCON and the ongoing World Cup qualifiers. However, the payment promises have not been fulfilled, leaving the team’s patience exhausted.

In a joint statement, the team said: "The entire squad and coaching staff did not attend the training session in Morocco due to unresolved issues regarding payments. We hope for a quick resolution to continue preparations for the match against Gabon."

Captain William Troost-Ekong insisted the protest was not about asking for special privileges, but about demanding what they deserved. While it was reported that the Presidential Sports Commission had released money to the NFF, it is unclear whether the money reached the players before they refused to train.

The cancellation of the training session has seriously depressed the "Super Eagles" spirit, while the match with Gabon is considered key to the hope of winning a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. If the financial crisis is not resolved soon, the dream of attending the world football festival after 6 years of waiting of the West African country's fans is at risk of being shattered.

Source: https://znews.vn/dan-sao-nigeria-bo-tap-truoc-play-off-world-cup-post1602218.html