Nigeria boycott training before World Cup play-off

Nigeria players and technical staff boycotted training on Tuesday, just two days before their crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup play-off against Gabon in Morocco.

The protest relates to longstanding unpaid allowances and match bonuses, with some payments dating back to 2019.

The team, including stars like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, are demanding a resolution to the dispute with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The boycott has cast a shadow over preparations for their African play-off semi-final at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Thursday (16:00 GMT).

"Once resolution is found we will be the first to confirm," Super Eagles centre-back and captain William Troost-Ekong said in a post on X., external

"All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead."

The NFF did not respond to requests from BBC Sport Africa for comment, but sources indicate urgent talks are ongoing.

The Super Eagles are expected to resume training on Wednesday, pending a resolution to the financial stand-off which reportedly includes allowances for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the current 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The NFF has a history of delaying payments and this latest development has sparked widespread reaction from Nigerians, with many calling for the federation to resolve the issue swiftly.

Nigeria must beat Gabon to keep alive their hopes of reaching next year's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The winners will face either Cameroon or DR Congo in Sunday's African play-off final, which will decide which country progresses to an intercontinental qualifier to be held next March.

That six-team tournament will provide two qualifiers for the finals.