Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Algeria has been thrown into uncertainty after players reportedly refused to travel to Marrakech for the scheduled clash at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
The match is set for next Saturday, but according to reports from the team’s training base in Fez, the Super Eagles squad has made it clear they will not board the journey unless outstanding payments are settled.
The standoff centres on unpaid bonuses linked to their victories in the group stage and their qualification for the quarter-finals, which came at the expense of Mozambique.
Sources close to the camp say the players have issued a firm ultimatum, insisting that the financial commitments made to them must be honoured before they take the field again.
The situation has created a cloud of uncertainty around one of the most anticipated ties of the tournament and raised the prospect of Nigeria withdrawing from the fixture altogether.
The discontent is said to run deep within the squad, with frustration building over what the players perceive as a lack of respect for their efforts on the pitch.
Their route to the last eight has been far from straightforward, and the team had hoped that qualification would be accompanied by the prompt settlement of the bonuses that were promised.
Tensions have reportedly been compounded by unrest among senior figures in the camp.
Victor Osimhen, regarded as the star of the Nigerian side, is understood to be particularly unhappy with the current state of affairs.
He has reportedly threatened to return to Turkey following a dispute with teammate Ademola Lookman, an episode that has further highlighted the fragile atmosphere surrounding the squad.
While details of the disagreement between the two forwards remain unclear, it is another sign that morale has been severely tested at a crucial stage of the competition.
With preparations for the quarter-final already disrupted, the prospect of internal divisions is the last thing the coaching staff would have wanted as they prepare to face Algeria.
The Nigeria Football Federation has yet to issue a formal statement addressing the claims, but the players’ stance has already sparked widespread concern among supporters.
The possibility that the Super Eagles could miss a knockout fixture because of administrative and financial issues has cast a shadow over their AFCON campaign, which had promised much after their progress through the group stage.
Algeria, their prospective opponents, remain in limbo as they await confirmation that the match will go ahead as planned.
The uncertainty has made it difficult for tournament organisers to finalise logistical arrangements, with travel plans and matchday preparations now hanging in the balance.
For Nigeria, the episode represents a critical moment that could define their tournament.
Having navigated the group phase successfully and eliminated Mozambique to reach the quarter-finals, they now face the prospect of seeing their campaign unravel off the pitch rather than on it.
Whether a compromise can be reached in time remains to be seen, but the players’ refusal to travel to Marrakech is a stark signal of their determination to be heard.
Until the outstanding issues are resolved, the fate of Saturday’s quarter-final – and Nigeria’s place in the competition – remains uncertain.
