{
  "id": 12990677,
  "title": "Unpaid AFCON 2025 Bronze Bonus Tearing Super Eagles Apart",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/unpaid-afcon-2025-bronze-bonus-tearing-super-eagles-apart",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T00:24:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/10/09/unpaid-afcon-2025-bronze-bonus-tearing-super-eagles-apart/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Nigeria Super Eagles, the country's senior men's football team, are demanding payment of their outstanding 2025 AFCON bronze bonus, alongside other grievances, from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The $17,500 bonus, to be paid to each player, was owed to the team after they finished third in Morocco in February. This demand, coupled with other issues, led to some players avoiding the international friendly against Russia in Nizhny Novgorod. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) received the funds from CAF, but the players claim they have been waiting for payment for a while despite the federation's repeated assurances. The National Sports Commission (NSC) is currently overseeing the management of the national team due to a succession of failures by the NFF leadership, which included the resignation of Ibrahim Gusau and his board members. The Super Eagles are also unhappy about the reduction of their allowances without prior notice, following the 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Reports suggest that the team won their first match in Uyo but lost dramatically in Bissau. The Super Eagles are reported to have led a revolt in their dressing room in Bissau due to their perceived poor welfare approach by the NFF. While no player has publicly voiced their dissatisfaction, if the current situation continues, Nigerians might face another disappointment where the Super Eagles fail to participate in the AFCON next year, given the team's absence from two consecutive World Cups.",
  "summary": "Duro IkhazuagbeNigeria’s senior men’s team, the Super Eagles, are demanding the payment of their outstanding 2025 AFCON third place bronze bonus from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) amongst other things.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nigeria Super Eagles demand $17,500 bronze bonus from NFF.",
    "Players avoid Russia friendly over unpaid bonus.",
    "NFF and NSC face criticism for team management issues."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}