Nigeria’s Super Eagles returned to training on Wednesday evening, refocusing on their 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa playoff semi-final clash with Gabon after boycotting Tuesday’s session over unpaid allowances.
The pay dispute that disrupted preparations has now been resolved, allowing the players to shift their full attention to Thursday’s crucial encounter, as they aim to secure a place in Sunday’s playoff final.
The three-time African champions held their training session at the Institut Royal de Formation des Cadres in Salé, on the outskirts of Rabat.
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President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Musa Gusau, expressed optimism about the team’s readiness and unity ahead of the high-stakes fixture.
“We believe in the players and their ability to make Nigeria proud, not only on Thursday but throughout these playoffs,” Gusau said. “We have a team capable of earning a World Cup ticket.”
NFF Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen also urged the team to stay focused, acknowledging that while the players’ concerns were understandable, the timing of their protest was not ideal.
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“These boys I know want to play at the World Cup. It’s every professional footballer’s dream,” Eguavoen said. “The timing of the strike was wrong, but I have faith in them to rise to the occasion on Thursday and again on Sunday.”
The match will also feature a battle between two elite forwards: Victor Osimhen for Nigeria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Gabon, both in prolific form during the qualifiers.
Osimhen scored five goals across Nigeria’s group-stage campaign, while Aubameyang netted four for the Panthers, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown as both sides chase a World Cup spot.
