AFCON 2025: Nigeria step back from the edge before the crucial battle with Algeria

From boycott threats to last-minute peace. Just days before a blockbuster quarter-final against Algeria, Nigeria have stepped back from the edge.

In protest over unpaid bonuses, several Super Eagles players were prepared to skip training - and even refuse to travel to Marrakech for their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against the Fennecs. A scenario that would have sent shockwaves through the tournament.

But calm has now replaced confrontation.

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According to multiple local reports, Nigeria have finally resolved the bonus dispute that had cast a shadow over their AFCON 2025 campaign. An agreement has reportedly been reached between the players and the federal government, clearing the path for Saturday's highly anticipated showdown with Algeria (7 pm).

The standoff had been serious. Negotiated bonuses agreed upon before the tournament had yet to be paid, pushing the squad to consider drastic measures. The threat of a boycott was real - and history loomed large.

The situation echoed events from late 2025, when Victor Osimhen and his teammates went on strike over unpaid bonuses before a crucial 2026 World Cup African play-off semi-final against Gabon. Back then, a solution was found just in time. This time, Nigeria refused to let history repeat itself on the eve of a continental classic.

According to Nigerian newspaper Punch, the federal government stepped in directly to prevent a full-blown crisis ahead of the Algeria clash. Minister of State for Finance Doris Uzoka-Anite personally intervened, promising that the outstanding payments would reach the players' accounts "today or tomorrow (Friday)."

The delay, she explained, was caused by a technical issue related to the "conversion of funds into foreign currency." Reassurances followed quickly: "The final payments are currently being processed," she confirmed, as quoted by Punch.

For now, the storm has passed.

Nigeria are back on track, focused once more on football - and on a quarter-final that could define their tournament. The crisis has been averted, but the message is clear: off the pitch, the Super Eagles demanded respect. On it, they now turn their attention to Algeria.

AFCON 2025 - ROUND OF 16

Friday

19.00: (6.90) Mali (3.65) Senegal (1.63)

22.00: (7.00) Cameroon (3.70) Morocco (1.63)

Saturday

19.00: (3.30) Algeria (3.15) Nigeria (2.45)

22.00: (3.30) Egypt (2.85) Ivory Coast (2.55)

***odds are subject to change***