Troost-Ekong Refutes Claims of Special Bonus Demand for World Cup Playoffs
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has firmly denied reports suggesting that the Nigerian national team demanded a special bonus for the upcoming CAF 2026 World Cup Playoffs, which begin in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday.
Addressing the speculation, Troost-Ekong dismissed claims that the players were attempting to hold the country to ransom over additional financial demands.
In a post on X, he clarified, ‘Any other statement/claim especially demands other than the rightful request written below are FALSE,’ referencing an earlier post that highlighted the players’ demand for long-overdue bonuses.
The Super Eagles are seeking payment for outstanding bonuses dating back several years. These include entitlements from the qualifiers for both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
So far, players have only received a $1,000 appearance fee per match, and even that was withheld for last month’s fixtures against Lesotho and Benin, despite confirmation that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had received the necessary funds.
The notion of a special bonus for the Playoffs did not originate from the players. Instead, it was reportedly floated by NFF leadership about a month ago, though no formal agreement was reached.
In protest, the Super Eagles boycotted training on Tuesday in Rabat, issuing an ultimatum to the NFF: settle the unpaid bonuses or risk the players returning to their respective clubs and skipping Thursday’s crucial match against Gabon.
