Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived at their new base in Marrakech ahead of Saturday’s high-stakes AFCON 2025 quarter-final showdown against Algeria.
The team landed at the Marrakech-Menara Airport on Thursday afternoon following a one-hour flight from Fès.
Despite their impressive on-field momentum as the tournament’s highest-scoring side, the build-up to this “heavyweight” clash has been clouded by financial disputes and internal distractions.
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The Super Eagles camp was rocked this week by a standoff over unpaid win bonuses. The players are reportedly owed performance-based payments for their first four matches: victories over Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Mozambique.
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The situation reached a breaking point on Wednesday when the squad reportedly threatened to boycott training and their flight to Marrakech. In a remarkable show of leadership, Captain Wilfred Ndidi stepped in with a personal guarantee:
“I’ve now made a commitment to the staff and players that I’ll personally pay the bonuses if the authorities fail to before Saturday,” Ndidi was quoted as saying. “I don’t want these unpaid bonuses to affect our preparations.”
Responding to the crisis, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, assured the team on Thursday that all group-stage bonuses have been released and are “in flight” through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Payments are expected to reflect in players’ accounts by Friday, January 9.
Nigeria remains the team to beat, boasting a tournament-high 12 goals. However, they face their toughest test yet in the Desert Warriors, who have conceded only once in the competition.
