CAF Penalizes Libya over Treatment of Nigeria’s Soccer Team in Abandoned AFCON Qualifier
The disciplinary committee awarded Nigeria full points and handed a hefty financial fine to Libya after Nigerian players shared their ordeal with the world.
Update: This post has been updated with the latest developments as of 5:00 p.m. GMT+1 on Monday, Oct. 28.
The disciplinary committee of Africa’s football governing body, CAF, has penalized Libya for failing to properly host Nigeria’s football team, ahead of an African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match between both countries. The committee ordered Libya’s football federation to pay a fine of $50,000 and awarded full points to Nigeria.
“The match No.87 Libya v. Nigeria of the TotalEnergies CAF African Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 Oct. 2024 in Benghazi) is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0),” the committee stated as one of its resolutions.
Libya was found guilty of breaching Article 31 of the CAF AFCON Regulations which deals with reception, transportation, accommodation and security for visiting teams. Libya was also found guilty of breaching Article 82 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, which is focused on integrity and sportsmanship between opposing teams, as well as Article 151 of the code. Subsection C of Article 151 states that organizing countries are to “ensure the safety of players and officials of the visiting team during their stay.”
Nigeria’s Super Eagles returned to Nigeria on the night of October 14, deciding to boycott the AFCON qualifying match against Libya over maltreatment by the host country. Captain of the men’s football team, William Troost-Ekong, shared a thread of X posts and video stating that the team had chosen not to play the match scheduled for Tuesday at the Benina Martyrs Stadium, about 19km (12 miles) east of Benghazi.
The Nigerian team arrived in Libya on Sunday night (October 13), and were supposed to land in the North African country’s capital, Tripoli, before taking a two-hour road trip to Benghazi, the second most populous city in Libya. However, they changed plans and decided to head straight to Benghazi, in order to cut down any fatigue from road travel, since they would have just one day to prepare for the match.
According to multiple reports and social media posts by the players themselves, their flight was diverted just before reaching Benghazi airport, and their plane was ordered to land at the largely deserted Al Abraq International Airport. “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason,” Troost-Ekong wrote in an X post early Monday morning. “They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.”
In the hours that followed, social media was flooded with photos of Super Eagles players sleeping on the benches at the airport. As Troost-Ekong stated, many believed it was the Libyan football authorities “play[ing] mind games.” Also, some said it was retribution for the Libyan team not being well-hosted by Nigeria last week when they visited the West African country for the first leg of their AFCON qualifier. Nigeria won Friday’s match by a lone goal. However, those allegations were debunked by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) last week after Libya’s team captain Faisal Al-Badri first made them.
In a short statement two weeks ago, CAF said that it had been in contact with Nigerian and Libyan authorities and had referred the case to its disciplinary board for investigation. “Appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations,” the statement added.
“As things escalated, this time overcoming meant taking a stand for what’s right regardless of the consequences,” Troost-Ekong wrote in an X post after the team landed in Nigeria. “No team should be mistreated this way. Football is about respect, and that starts by respecting ourselves.”