Players and technical crew of the Super Eagles of Nigeria boycotted training in Rabat, Morocco, on Tuesday over unresolved bonus payments ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa play-off semi-final against Gabon on Thursday.

In what is set to be their biggest match since the 2023 AFCON final, with a possible back-to-back World Cup miss at stake, the team opted out of training over outstanding allowances dating back to 2019. The payments reportedly include bonuses for reaching the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for the World Cup play-offs.

A statement said to be signed by the players and technical crew, shared by BBC journalist Oluwashina Okeleji, read: “The full squad, including officials, withheld from training today in Morocco because of unresolved issues with outstanding payments. The Super Eagles are awaiting a quick resolution to continue preparation for Thursday’s game with Gabon. Thank you. From the players.”

As of the time of the report, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had not released any statement. The administrators have already come under criticism during this international window over the Super Eagles’ accommodation, which many described as below standard following a video shared by midfielder Alex Iwobi.

The camp opened on Sunday at the Rive Hotel in Rabat, while the first full training session took place on Monday with 14 players present. As of Tuesday, 23 of the 24 players invited for the crucial play-offs were already in camp, with Italy-based goalkeeper Maduka Okoye the only one yet to join the team.

The match is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat. In the other semi-final, Cameroon will face the Democratic Republic of Congo at the El-Barid Stadium. The winners of both ties will meet in the final on November 16 to determine who progresses to the inter-confederation play-offs for a spot at next year’s World Cup in North America.

It remains to be seen how the situation in the Eagles’ camp will unfold and what impact it may have on their chances of qualifying for the World Cup.