Togo are definitely going to face Switzerland in their World Cup Group G match in Dortmund on Monday after traveling to the venue after threatening to boycott the match over bonuses.

FIFA have ensured Togo - the lowest ranked team in the World Cup Finals - would not become the first team to boycott a World Cup match yesterday in the latest twist in the African nation's pay dispute with its players.


FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said soccer's world governing body was forced to act after reports the players did not want to board a plane from their training base in southern Germany to the central city of Dortmund ahead of today's Group G match against Switzerland.


“There were rumors that they did not want to travel and play tomorrow,” said Herren.

“This prompted us to open all contact channels to them to appeal to them to think of their responsibility to football and themselves and their country.
”

He then said that “various levels” of FIFA delegates were involved in the negotiations, appealing to the players: “if you don't travel, it could be the worst thing you could do."


Herren said if Togo had boycotted the match, The country would have been disqualified from the World Cup and faced further sanctions from FIFA's disciplinary committee.

“As long as they travel, which I believe they have done, I think it's OK," Herren said.


A training session at Dortmund Stadium scheduled for 3.30 p.m. local time was postponed until 8 p.m. because of the very late arrival of the squad.


The players, most of whom are contracted to small European clubs, wanted £115,000 ($200,000) each to play in the tournament, plus £21,000 ($39,000) each per win and £11,000 ($20,000) per draw.

That is a massive amount of money in a country that’s main exports are coffee and yams and where the average income is less than £220 ($400) per year.


The reason for the threatened boycott wasn’t immediately clear. At a news conference Saturday, players said although the bonus dispute had not been settled, they wanted to concentrate on their Group G match against Switzerland on Monday.

Both the players and coach Otto Pfister alike insisted that morale was high and the team was determined to beat the Swiss.


Togo were narrowly beaten 2-1 by South Korea in its opening match last week. The Togolese are playing for World
 Cup survival against Switzerland.


The lowest-ranked team in the tournament, Togo has caused some of the biggest headlines because of their dramas off the pitch.

Coach Pfister quit the team three days before the first match against South Korea, saying he could not work properly if players kept boycotting training and only rejoined his team hours before the opening match.


Pfister is now considering legal action against a senior Togolese federation official accused him of being a drunkard and a traitor.

The 68-year-old German then responded by saying that he is tee-total and that he doesn't touch alcohol.