The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has stated that it will not accept any excuses from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) regarding a potential boycott of the second leg of the Group D 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Super Eagles.
The LFF made this announcement on its X handle on Tuesday, following the departure of the Super Eagles and their officials from Libya after being stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 16 hours due to an unexpected diversion on Sunday, which led Nigeria to withdraw from the match originally scheduled for today.
Accompanying photos of their players’ training session, the LFF wrote, “Some may be used to creating obstacles before the match, but here in the heart of Benghazi, specifically on the grounds of the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, there is no room for excuses once the whistle blows.”
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday. Credit: LFF/X
“Photos from our national team’s training session at the Martyrs of Benina International Stadium, as we prepare for Tuesday evening’s match against Nigeria, part of the fourth round of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.”
It is worth noting that the LFF has strongly condemned Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya, and has threatened legal action to safeguard the interests of its national team.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday. Credit: LFF/X
In a statement shared by The Libya Observer, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) accused the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of failing to cooperate in organising the match, which it claims led to the current confusion.
“The Libyan Football Federation condemns the actions taken by the Nigerian Football Federation in refusing to play the Libya-Nigeria match, scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, as part of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The LFF emphasises that it will pursue all legal avenues to protect the interests of the Libyan national football team,” the statement read.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday. Credit: LFF/X
The LFF further stated that the incidents beyond its control were minor compared to what the Libyan team endured in the first leg, implying that the Nigerian federation was responsible for the mismanagement of both the initial and return matches.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday. Credit: LFF/X
“The Libyan Federation includes footage of inhumane conditions that did not stop the Libyan team from playing the Nigeria-Libya match last Friday in Nigeria, in cooperation with the Confederation of African Football.”
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday. Credit: LFF/X
“The Libyan Football Federation clarifies that its Nigerian counterpart failed to cooperate in any way, whether for the first or second leg of the match. It also noted that the challenges beyond our control are minimal compared to what the Libyan national team faced in the first leg,” the statement said.
