Super Eagles unpaid bonuses prompt training boycott and cancelled travel ahead of AFCON 2025 quarter-finals in Morocco
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have halted all training sessions and cancelled their scheduled travel on Thursday, January 7, 2026, demanding immediate payment of unpaid bonuses from their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
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The decision comes after players and officials raised concerns over outstanding incentives for victories against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique.
Team captain Wilfred Ndidi and other senior squad members led the standoff, insisting that no travel to the quarter-final host city or training would resume until the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) fulfilled its obligations.
Sources close to the squad say the protest highlights persistent delays in player remuneration and underscores mounting frustration among the team.
The Super Eagles, currently top scorers at the tournament with 12 goals in four matches, face Algeria in the quarter-final scheduled for Saturday, January 10, in Marrakesh.
The team’s refusal to travel has cast uncertainty over preparations for the knockout stage.
Officials from the NFF are reportedly working to expedite processing of the payments, which include match bonuses for all games played at the tournament.
The delay echoes a similar incident in November 2024, when players temporarily boycotted training over delayed allowances during the African World Cup playoffs.
Observers warn that prolonged unrest could affect team morale ahead of the crucial quarter-final clash.
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The Super Eagles remain one of the favourites to lift the AFCON 2025 trophy, having finished top of Group C and thrashed Mozambique 4–0 in the round of 16.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
