The Confederation of African Football, CAF, is expected to deliver its ruling on Wednesday regarding the cancelled Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, Group D qualifier between Libya and Nigeria, which was scheduled to take place at the Benina Martyrs Stadium on October 15.
The match, which had been anticipated as the reverse fixture after Nigeria’s 1-0 victory in the first leg, was abruptly called off, leading to tensions between both nations.
The Libya Al-Ahrar Channel disclosed that the Libyan Football Federation has submitted all relevant documents and enlisted a specialised lawyer to supervise their case with CAF. The Libyan Federation denounced Nigeria’s handling of the situation, accusing the Super Eagles of refusing to play the match.
The match cancellation followed an ordeal that saw Nigeria’s team held for 17 hours upon arrival in Libya, with their flight diverted to Al Abraq International Airport, several hours away from the match venue in Benghazi. The Nigerian Football Federation filed a formal complaint with CAF, describing the treatment as traumatic and unacceptable.
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CAF, which delisted the fixture from its schedule, has expressed concern over the “extremely dangerous” situation faced by the Nigerian team in Libya. Both the Libyan and Nigerian Football Federations now await the disciplinary committee’s decision on the matter and the fate of the match.
Credible News recalls that the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on October 15, had announced the withdrawal of the Super Eagles from the 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya, citing a severe ordeal faced by the team at Al Abraq International Airport.
The Nigerian delegation, which arrived in Libya on Sunday for Tuesday’s crucial fixture, was stranded at the small, remote airport for over 17 hours. Their chartered flight, initially en route to Benghazi, was abruptly diverted to Al Abraq—a location typically reserved for hajj flights—without prior warning.
The NFF, in a statement released on Monday, decried the distressing situation. NFF disclosed that the Libyan Football Federation failed to provide any form of assistance, leaving the team stuck at the airport with no transportation to their hotel, which is located three hours away.
This controversy has cast a shadow over the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, with both teams now awaiting clarity on the next steps.
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