The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has threatened legal action following Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. The LFF emphasised that it is their responsibility to safeguard the national team’s interests.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles withdrew from the match, originally scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, citing safety concerns. The team had been stranded for over 13 hours at Al Abaq Airport after an unexpected diversion on Sunday. Photos showing the players sleeping on benches went viral on Monday, sparking outrage from Nigerian authorities.
The situation deteriorated as the team and staff were left at the airport without access to essentials such as food, water, or proper rest during the long delay.
In a statement released on Monday night, October 14, the LFF blamed the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the disorganisation, accusing them of failing to cooperate in arranging the match.
“The Libyan Football Federation condemns the actions taken by the Nigerian Football Federation, which led to the refusal to play the Libya-Nigeria AFCON qualifier scheduled for Tuesday, October 15. We will pursue all legal avenues to protect the interests of the Libyan national team,” the statement read.
The LFF also suggested that the issues encountered by Nigeria were minor compared to the difficulties faced by the Libyan team during the first leg. They provided footage from their previous experience, highlighting that despite the challenges, the Libyan team played the first leg in Nigeria as a gesture of goodwill towards the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“The Libyan Football Federation notes that the Nigerian federation did not cooperate with us for either the first or second leg of the match. The incidents Nigeria faced are insignificant compared to what our team endured in the first leg,” the statement continued.
Apologising to Libyan fans and officials, the LFF expressed regret over the confusion caused by Nigeria’s withdrawal, which ultimately led to the match being postponed.
