World Cup
Super Eagles training boycott may snowball into match forfeiture
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s preparations for Thursday’s crucial World Cup qualifying play-off against Gabon have been thrown into further uncertainty as the Super Eagles’ training boycott entered its second day.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the ongoing impasse in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, assuring fans that the players remain focused on “the big games ahead” despite the standoff.
“Once a resolution is found, we will be the first to confirm,” he wrote. “Any other statement, claim or demand other than the rightful request written about below is FALSE.”
Efforts by Sports Village Square to obtain official comments from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have so far been unsuccessful, as the federation has remained silent on the issue.
However, a reliable source within the NFF told Sports Village Square that the protest may have been sparked internally.
According to the source, some players were informed that funds had recently been released to the NFF by the National Sports Commission (NSC), but were warned that it might become difficult to pursue their financial entitlements after the play-off.
“The players had initially planned to boycott the last Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in November last year, which they eventually lost in Uyo,” the source revealed.
“That action was only averted by the prompt intervention of NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko, who flew into Uyo hours before the match.”
The source added that the outstanding payments include both long-standing claims dating back to 2019 and more recent entitlements.
Another insider in Rabat confirmed on Wednesday that the situation remains tense. If the Super Eagles fail to train again today, they risk losing the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the turf of the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan, the venue for the decisive clash with Gabon.
There are growing fears that, if unresolved, the crisis could escalate into a full-blown boycott of the match — a move that could see Nigeria disqualified from the World Cup qualifiers and face possible FIFA sanctions.
Meanwhile, a contingent of Nigerian supporters was airlifted to Rabat via Casablanca on Tuesday, reportedly under the sponsorship of the NSC. Additional officials and supporters are expected to depart on Thursday morning, pending the approval of their Moroccan visas.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The Trump administration will not require World Cup ticket holders from countries flagged for high rates of visa overstays to pay expensive bonds to enter the United States, a U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday.
The administration last year began requiring visitors from some countries to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to obtain tourist visas to the U.S., saying the steep deposit was needed to prevent visa overstays. Fifty countries are currently subject to the bond requirement, which was expanded this year.
Five of the 50 countries subject to the visa bonds qualified to participate in the World Cup: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia.
Mora Namdar, the top official in the State Department’s consular affairs division, said the U.S. would waive the bond requirement for ticket-holding fans who had already registered through a special system to expedite their visa processing. Qualifying team members and staff can also have the bonds waived, Namdar said.
“We remain committed to strengthening U.S. national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament,” she said in a statement.
The Associated Press first reported the news.
The World Cup, one of the globe’s biggest sporting events, will be held in June and July this year across three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown has already cast a pall over the event and raised concerns about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Last year, masked federal agents surged into U.S. cities to track down immigration offenders and detained some tourists at airports.
The advocacy group Human Rights Watch , in late April, called on FIFA to press the U.S. government to establish an “ICE Truce” for the World Cup, including a public guarantee to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues.
DHS said at the time that international visitors travelling for the games “have nothing to worry about” if they have legal immigration status.
The U.S. launched a system in January to make it easier for World Cup ticket holders to obtain expedited visas. In order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered in that system, known as FIFA PASS, by April 15.
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
New Jersey’s public rail system is further dropping its World Cup ticket price from an original $150 per round trip to $98, the rail system provider said on Wednesday.
This NJ TRANSIT cut followed a reduction to $105 earlier in May.
The prices for the trip, which outraged World Cup fans both in the New York City area and from overseas, sparked much political comment, from local officials to U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
Local officials had complained that FIFA was going to earn billions from the event, while New Jersey taxpayers would be footing a huge bill for security, disrupted services and other game-related impacts.
“We were able to reduce costs while protecting NJ Transit’s daily customers and commuters from bearing the financial burden,” NJ Transit Chair Priya Jain said.
The price drop was possible because of additional advertising revenue, the agency said.
The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, starts on June 11.
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The White House refuted reports that the United States denied visas for five members of Iraq’s national team ahead of next month’s World Cup.
The State Department sent a statement on Wednesday to Front Office Sports in response to online reports involving five players, including Luton Town forward Ali Al-Hamadi.
“Currently, there are no known issues affecting the Iraq National Team players, and they remain on track to compete in the World Cup,” the statement reads. “We maintain daily communication with FIFA and will continue to prioritise these players in accordance with the President’s Executive Order, ensuring an incredible and safe tournament.”
The Iraqi Football Association also quashed the rumours that had circulated on social media on Tuesday.
“The news is false, and the truth is that all the national team players have obtained entry visas to America,” it said, per the Iraqi news site The New Region, adding that the players are also in the process of getting Canadian visas.
Iraq is in a tough Group I for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America, along with France, Senegal and Norway. Iraq is scheduled to play games in Foxborough, Mass. (June 16 vs. Norway), Philadelphia (June 22 vs. France) and in Toronto (June 26 vs. Senegal).
-Reuters
Visit the Sports Village Square Channel: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
US drops bond requirement for World Cup ticket holders
New Jersey cuts World Cup rail ticket prices again
White House: No visa issues for Iraq’s World Cup team
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup5 days ago
FIFA Plans Three Opening Ceremonies in All Host Nations for 2026 World Cup
- World Cup4 days ago
United States Unveils Hollywood-Style FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony
- World Cup5 days ago
Mexico president wavers on plan to cut school year by 40 days for the World Cup
- World Cup6 days ago
Burna Boy Joins Shakira for Official 2026 World Cup Song ‘Dai Dai’
- World Cup1 week ago
Despite 2026 Absence, Nigeria Still Leads Africa’s World Cup Winners’ Chart
- Premier League5 days ago
Man United’s Fernandes and City’s Shaw win FWA Footballer of the Year awards
- Nigerian Football5 days ago
Sporting Lagos Crowned 2026 NNL Champions After Dramatic Super Four Finale
- Premier League3 days ago
Arsenal survive huge scare to edge towards title