NFF abandons AFCON qualifier against Libya, to fly players back to Nigeria

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has pulled the Super Eagles out of Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya.

This, it said, follows a frustrating 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport.

The Nigerian delegation, en route to Benghazi for the crucial match, encountered unexpected difficulties when their chartered aircraft was diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq, a small airport primarily used for hajj operations.

Upon arrival, the team was left stranded without assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, which failed to arrange any transportation.

In a statement released on Monday, the NFF explained that the Super Eagles were stuck in the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, located three hours away.

The federation expressed deep frustration over the mishandling of the team and highlighted the lack of support from their Libyan counterparts.

The NFF also stated that the players have now decided to withdraw from playing the match, and that arrangements are being made to fly the team back to Nigeria.

The statement reads, “The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya.

“The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport.

“We understand the Al Abraq International Airport is only used for hajj operations. Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi.

“The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team, but the plan was unhinged by the diversion of the aircraft. Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home.”

Captain of Libya’s senior men’s national team, Faisal Al-Badri, had complained of Shabby treatment during their visit in Nigeria for the match last week.

The poor treatment of the Super Eagles is understood to be a retaliation for such treatment.

But the NFF had rejected the allegations, insisting that the Libyan Football Federation created chaos for its own team.

NFF’s Assistant Director (Protocol), Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, said the Libyan Federation only informed the NFF that its team was landing in Port Harcourt and not Uyo, only three hours before the team’s arrival on Tuesday.

“I spoke to the General Secretary of LFF at length on Monday, 7th October, and he never hinted that his team would be arriving on Tuesday (the following day). He only said he would get back to me but he never did. On Monday evening, someone sent as an advance party by the LFF called me and said his team would be arriving on Tuesday by noon. We made all arrangements to receive the team in Uyo on arrival.

“It was only an hour after the team was airborne that he told me the delegation would be landing in Port Harcourt. That disrupted so many things, but we still raced on hurdles to get approval from federal authorities to allow their plane to fly them to Uyo once they concluded immigration formalities in Port Harcourt. Apparently, that would have meant additional cost to the LFF from the charter company, and they didn’t want that, so they preferred to travel from Port Harcourt to Uyo by road.”

Mr Ayanbunmi added that the Libyan delegation jettisoned road transportation arrangements made for them by the NFF and instead hired buses on their own.

“If they travelled on buses that were not air-conditioned, that had nothing to do with the NFF as they hired their own buses. We provided security for them, with men and vehicles in front and behind their buses, so we are unmoved about their complaints and threats.”