The Nigeria Super Eagles faced significant internal challenges concerning unpaid entitlements just before their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoff semi-final against Gabon. The team initiated a protest by boycotting a training session on Tuesday, demanding the settlement of outstanding bonuses and allowances. This standoff created doubt about their readiness for the impending World Cup qualifiers.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, expressed his concerns over the timing of the players' strike. While acknowledging the players' right to their payments, he emphasized that the timing was not ideal and could potentially derail preparations for a match of such magnitude. Despite this, Eguavoen conveyed strong confidence in the squad's professionalism and their collective desire to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, stating that every professional footballer aspires to play in the tournament and enhance their market value. He had faith the team would rise to the occasion for their matches on Thursday and Sunday.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, however, denied widespread claims of owing the Super Eagles a massive backlog of unpaid match bonuses spanning approximately 30 games. In an interview, Gusau clarified that the NFF had settled all previous outstanding payments before the current 2026 World Cup qualification campaign began. He explained that after the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, the NFF sat down with team leaders to negotiate a new financial structure to avoid recurring disputes. Under this new arrangement, players receive appearance fees per match, and a specific amount is agreed upon for qualification, rather than payment after every match. Gusau affirmed that any current outstanding payments would pertain solely to the ongoing qualifiers.

The dispute was ultimately resolved on Wednesday after hours of negotiation involving the NFF and the National Sports Commission. Team captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed that the players had received their outstanding bonuses, allowing the team to suspend their strike with immediate effect and resume full training at the Institut Royal de Formation Des Cadres in Salé, outside Rabat. The resolution brought relief, enabling the Super Eagles to shift their focus to the high-stakes encounter.

Despite the resolution, the leadership of William Troost-Ekong came under scrutiny. Former Sierra Leone midfielder Michael Lahoud openly criticized Troost-Ekong, labeling him a “social media leader” and suggesting that he had not adequately stepped up during this critical time of need. Lahoud advocated for Victor Osimhen to assume a more prominent leadership role, describing him as the “only true leader on the roster” and emphasizing the need for the team to be unified rather than playing as individuals or “divas.” Lahoud stressed that Nigeria needed to do its talking on the pitch, particularly with the limited training time ahead of the World Cup.

The Super Eagles are determined to avoid missing a second consecutive FIFA World Cup. They are scheduled to face the Panthers of Gabon in the playoff semi-final in Rabat on Thursday at 5 p.m. Nigeria time, with the winner advancing to face either DR Congo or Cameroon. This match marks the tenth encounter between Nigeria and Gabon, with Nigeria having won five of the previous nine. Key forwards Victor Osimhen for Nigeria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Gabon are expected to be central figures in their respective teams' pursuit of a World Cup ticket.