Iwobi reveals where Super Eagles are lodged in Morocco ahead of play-offs; Nigerians react

Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, has subtly raised concerns about the condition of the team’s accommodation in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff against Gabon.

Iwobi, who arrived in camp on Sunday along with several other players and team officials, is among the early call-ups already settled at the Rive Hotel, the team’s designated base.

The squad currently includes Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon, Tolu Arokodare, and Olakunle Olusegun, with full training scheduled to begin on Monday.

However, Iwobi’s social media post has sparked conversation after he shared a video depicting the reportedly substandard condition of the hotel and its surroundings. The video has raised concern about the team’s welfare and overall preparation standards ahead of what is a crucial World Cup qualifying fixture.

This is not the first time a Super Eagles player has openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the kind of welfare that the NFF has provided them.

Nigeria sealed their spot in the playoff round after finishing second in Group C, capped by a commanding 4–0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo.

The Super Eagles are now set to face Gabon in the semifinal stage of the playoffs, with the winner progressing to meet either DR Congo or Cameroon in the final matchup.

A victory in that final will secure Nigeria a place in the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March 2026—the last hurdle for a ticket to the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In reaction to the viral video, a lot of netizens have expressed their dissatisfaction on X.

A user, @dele003, wrote: “CAF/FIFA are utterly useless if this is the best hotel accommodation they can get in all of Morocco for a 4-days competition. It just shows the lack of organisation and uselessness that exists within those organisations. The NFF should have sent a party ahead though, maybe they could have rejected such accommodation.”

Another user @prolific_eric believed that these players deserve better. He wrote, “Players representing the richest black nation on earth. There are still people defending this selfishness and corruption. Countries that doesn’t have half of Nigeria’s resources are giving their citizens and national players the best treatment. This is not even a 2 star hotel in Morocco ????????. How selfish and pathetic can you be to treat your national team players below average.‼‼‼”

@MiraculousSound tweeted, “After working on the mentality of the players with this bad hotel you put them. Do you expect them to give you a good results. For their career and football achievement they should play to qualify, but for #thenff this is bad publicity for Nigerian football.????”

@MntwanaThokoza2 “NFF decided to book the team in a run down part of Morocco (which every country has) they are going to pocket the money….its a money looting skim for them.”

However, @Ameboibadan said, “There is nothing bad inside where they are, it is part of the training. If they actually have comfort they may forget their mission and lose, so with this, they will know that they must win or else they won’t even get transport come house. Thanks to NFF and Nigeria for this discipline.”

culled from vanguard