Nigeria’s preparations for their quarterfinal clash against Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have been disrupted after players and coaching staff boycotted training over unpaid winning bonuses.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to travel to Marrakesh on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s quarterfinal encounter against Algeria at the Ouahat Sidi Brahim Stadium, but the standoff has cast uncertainty over those plans.
According to reports from the team’s camp in Fes, the players and officials refused to train on Wednesday as a protest against outstanding bonus payments accrued during the tournament. The unpaid bonuses reportedly cover four matches, including group-stage wins over Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, as well as the emphatic 4-0 victory against Mozambique in the Round of 16.
Sources indicate the squad will continue the boycott and may also refuse to travel to Marrakesh unless the financial issues are resolved. Despite the protest, players are said to remain focused on the competition, with the action aimed solely at forcing a settlement of the outstanding payments.
The development comes at a critical stage of the tournament, with Nigeria enjoying an impressive campaign so far. Nigeria finished the group stage with a perfect record before cruising past Mozambique to reach the quarterfinals, emerging as one of the tournament’s standout teams.
Bonus disputes, however, have been a recurring problem in Nigerian football. A similar boycott occurred ahead of the 2026 World Cup playoff in Morocco in November 2025. Although the issue was resolved at the time, Nigeria later lost to DR Congo, ending their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.
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