Super Eagles Players Refuse Training Over Unpaid Bonuses.

Nigeria’s Football Crisis Deepens: Players Protest Unpaid Bonuses.

The Super Eagles are facing a major crisis ahead of their World Cup playoff against Gabon, according to reports. Victor Osimhen’s arrival in Rabat had brought the number of players in camp to 23, with Maduka Okoye the only one yet to join. However, training had been suspended due to a standoff between the players and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over unpaid bonuses and allowances.

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The players were reportedly owed around $6 million, with some payments dating back to 2019. Sources indicated that funds meant for the players had been released by the Federal Government but hadn’t been passed on. There was also concern over $50 million collected by the NFF over the past decade, with over 70 billion naira unaccounted for. The situation appeared to be about a dispute between the NFF and the Super Eagles players regarding an offer made by the federation, which the players had rejected and submitted a counterproposal.

This had put the NFF under scrutiny for their handling of player welfare and financial transparency. The team’s training session had also been canceled, indicating some level of tension.

Reports stated that the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national football team, were facing challenges with their training camp, having managed only one full session due to Tuesday’s cancellation.

They were expected to resume on Wednesday if issues were resolved. Meanwhile, other African teams were pushing forward with their CAF World Cup playoff preparations. The DR Congo was one such team, with their football federation reportedly promising each player a $1 million bonus ahead of their crucial playoff match. Nigeria had an upcoming match against Gabon on Thursday in the CAF World Cup playoff semi-finals.

A win would put them against either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final, with the winner advancing to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs for a chance at next year’s World Cup.