The Libyan Football Federation, LFF, has criticized Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, qualifier in Libya, following the Super Eagles’ concerns over safety.
Nigeria’s national team was stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 13 hours after an unexpected flight diversion, leading to their decision to pull out of the match, which was set for Tuesday, October 15.
In a statement shared by ‘The Libya Observer’, the LFF expressed its disappointment with the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, accusing them of mismanaging the situation and failing to collaborate in organizing the match. The LFF emphasized that it would pursue legal measures to defend its national team’s interests.
“The Libyan Football Federation condemns Nigeria’s refusal to play the AFCON qualifier, stressing that we will take all legal actions to protect the Libyan national football team,” the statement said. The LFF also noted that the disruption caused by unforeseen events was far less severe than what the Libyan team had endured during the first leg in Nigeria.
The LFF referenced the challenges faced by their team during the Nigeria-Libya match last Friday, adding that they still went ahead with the game in a spirit of cooperation with the Confederation of African Football. They further accused the NFF of failing to assist with logistics for both the first and second legs of the qualifier.
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Additionally, the Libyan federation apologized to its fans for the confusion, blaming the NFF for the delays and mismanagement that led to the match’s postponement. “We apologize to our loyal supporters and those involved in the match arrangements for the confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation,” the statement concluded.
The controversy gained widespread attention after photos of the stranded Super Eagles team sleeping on benches at the airport circulated online. The Nigerian team’s captain, William Troost-Ekong, called the situation “disgraceful” and accused Libyan authorities of engaging in “mind games” by revoking their landing permit and leaving the players without basic necessities such as food, water, and proper rest.
This ongoing dispute has sparked diplomatic tensions and could potentially escalate further, with both federations standing firm on their positions.
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