William Troost-Ekong has clarified that the Super Eagles are not boycotting training over a special bonus request ahead of the African playoffs for the 2026 World Cup.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the Eagles captain confirmed that the team’s decision to skip training was due to unpaid allowances and bonuses owed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Ekong’s statement came in response to reports suggesting that the players had asked for increased bonuses for the World Cup playoffs.
The players and officials reportedly refused to attend their scheduled Tuesday evening training session in protest.
Sources told TheCable that the players have yet to be paid their allowances for qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2026 World Cup playoff.
It was also gathered that some senior members of the squad are still owed bonuses dating back to 2019.
Nigeria are set to face Gabon in one of the semi-final fixtures for the 2026 African World Cup playoffs on Thursday.
The winner will go on to meet either Congo DR or Cameroon in the final, with the victor securing Africa’s sole ticket to the intercontinental playoff.
All 24 players invited by team manager Eric Chelle are currently in Rabat, with training expected to resume only after the pending payment issues are resolved.
Ekong added that what the players want is a quick resolution so they can “focus on the big games ahead.”