The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has expressed its dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s withdrawal from their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match, which was set to take place in Benghazi, on Tuesday, October 15.
The LFF has vowed to take legal action against the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to safeguard the interests of the Libyan national football team.
This reaction comes after the Nigerian Super Eagles, citing safety concerns, withdrew from the second-leg encounter. The team had been stranded at Al Abaq Airport for more than 13 hours, with no access to basic necessities such as food, water, or a resting place. Images circulating on social media showed Nigerian players, including captain William Troost-Ekong, sleeping on airport benches, sparking outrage among fans.
Troost-Ekong described the situation as “disgraceful,” accusing Libyan authorities of revoking their landing permit and subjecting the team to “mind games.”
The Super Eagles ultimately decided to pull out of the fixture, originally scheduled for October 15.
In a statement shared by The Libya Observer, the LFF condemned Nigeria’s actions and compared their treatment in Nigeria during the first-leg match to what the Super Eagles had experienced.
“The Libyan Football Federation condemns the measures taken by the Nigerian Football Federation by refusing to play… We will take all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team,” the statement read.
Despite claiming that they had been treated poorly during the first-leg match in Nigeria, the LFF asserted that they chose to go ahead with the game in the spirit of cooperation with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). They further criticized the NFF for what they described as a lack of cooperation.
The situation has escalated tensions between the two federations, with Libya blaming logistical issues for the delay and confusion, while Nigeria has accused Libyan authorities of deliberately creating an inhospitable environment.
CAF is currently investigating the matter following complaints from both sides.
This latest development has raised concerns over how such logistical and diplomatic issues could affect the smooth running of future AFCON qualifiers.