2025 Afconq: CAF condemns treatment of Super Eagles in Libya, vows to take appropriate action

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expressed serious concerns over the troubling treatment of Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, upon their arrival in Libya for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Set to face the Mediterranean Knights on Tuesday, October 15, at Benina Stadium, the Super Eagles traveled to Libya following a narrow 1-0 victory in Uyo.

However, their journey took an unexpected turn on Sunday, October 13, when their chartered ValueJet flight was diverted just an hour before landing.

Instead of reaching the intended destination, the team found themselves at Al Abraq Airport, more than two hours away from their scheduled venue.

The players, led by captain William Troost-Ekong, voiced their frustration over the incident, with some even contemplating withdrawing from the upcoming match due to the disheartening experience.

However, The Libyan Football Federation clarified that the diversion was not intentional but rather a result of standard air traffic control protocols.

In a statement on its official website, CAF condemned the treatment of the Super Eagles, labeling the situation as 'disturbing and unacceptable'.

The organization emphasized its commitment to addressing the issue, stating, "CAF views the disturbing and unacceptable experiences of the Nigerian National Football Team (‘’Super Eagles’’) at an airport in Libya in a very serious light."

Throughout the ordeal, CAF revealed it maintained communication with both the Nigeria Football Federation and the Libyan Football Federation.

It further escalated the issue to the Disciplinary Board and threatened to penalize any individuals found to be in violation of the CAF Statutes and Regulations.

"The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (‘’Super Eagles’’) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities."

"The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations," the statement read.

Currently, Nigeria leads Group D with seven points, while Libya sits at the bottom with just one point from three matches.

A victory for Nigeria could solidify their qualification for the prestigious tournament, while a loss for Libya may extinguish their hopes of participating.

Adeyemi Adewale

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