President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has expressed confidence in the Super Eagles’ readiness after the team successfully resolved their recent pay dispute ahead of Thursday’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa playoff semi-final against the Panthers of Gabon.
The Super Eagles returned to training on Wednesday evening at the Institut Royal de Formation des Cadres in Salé, near Rabat, Morocco, with renewed focus and determination.
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The earlier bonus row, which led to the cancellation of Tuesday’s session, has been amicably settled, allowing the players to concentrate fully on the decisive encounter.
Gusau, who addressed the media after the resolution, assured Nigerians that the team remains united and ready to deliver.
“We believe in the players and their ability to make Nigeria proud, not only on Thursday, but throughout these playoffs. We have a team capable of earning a World Cup ticket,” he said.
Also speaking on the development, NFF Technical Director and former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, expressed optimism about the players’ mentality.
“These boys that I know and have worked with want to go to the FIFA World Cup. The aspiration of every professional footballer is to play at the World Cup and enhance their market value,” Eguavoen said.
“The timing of the strike was wrong, but I have faith in them to rise to the occasion and do the business on Thursday and, hopefully, again on Sunday.”
Thursday’s high-stakes fixture will kick off at 5:00 p.m. (same time zone as Nigeria) at the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.
It will be the 10th meeting between both countries at senior level, with Nigeria winning five, drawing three, and losing just once—a 2-1 defeat in Libreville during the 1990 World Cup qualifiers.
Focus will be on Victor Osimhen and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, two of Africa’s most prolific forwards, as they lead their nations’ pursuit of a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Osimhen has scored five times in recent qualifiers, while Aubameyang netted four in Gabon’s last outing against Gambia.
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