Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has denied claims that Nigeria’s players demanded a special bonus ahead of Thursday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff against Gabon.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Troost-Ekong said the team had not made any new financial demands and urged Nigerians to ignore false reports circulating in the media.
“Once resolution is found we will be the first to confirm. Any other statement/claim or especially demands other than the rightful request written about below is FALSE.”
“All we want and continue to do is focus on the big games ahead.”
The “rightful request” concerns long-standing match bonuses and allowances owed to both current and former Super Eagles players since 2019.
Sources close to the team said that the idea of a special playoff bonus was not initiated by the players, but was first raised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of the Morocco camp.
Figures reported in media space suggest the players are seeking a $15,000 win bonus per playoff match, while the NFF is reportedly pushing for $10,000 per match. The players insist they are only looking for a fair settlement of their long-overdue entitlements.
According to multiple reports in Morroco also indicates that DR Congo and Gabon have received special match bonuses ahead of their World Cup playoff games, a factor believed to have prompted the NFF’s proposal prior to Nigeria’s camp.
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The last set of players joined the camp yesterday, including Maduka Okoye, Victor Osimhen, and Alhassan Yusuf, bringing the squad to a full house of 24 players in Rabat ahead of Thursday’s must-win playoff against Gabon.
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Head coach Eric Chelle is reportedly owed his salary for September and October, though he has not commented publicly on the matter.
