The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to announce its decision on the controversial AFCON qualifying match between Libya and Nigeria, originally scheduled for October 15 at the Benina Martyrs Stadium.
This announcement will come after significant turmoil surrounding the match, which was canceled just hours before kickoff.
According to reports from Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, the Libyan Football Federation has submitted comprehensive documentation related to the incident, enlisting a specialized lawyer to manage their case with CAF. The first leg of the matchup in Nigeria ended with a 1-0 victory for the Super Eagles, and the focus now shifts to the canceled reverse fixture in Libya.
CAF initially delisted the match from its calendar following its abrupt cancellation and referred the situation to its Disciplinary Committee for further review. The Libyan Federation has criticized the Nigerian side for their alleged refusal to play the match, stating that they intend to pursue all legal avenues to protect the interests of their national team.
The controversy escalated after Nigeria’s team was forced to divert their flight to Al Abraq International Airport, located approximately three hours from Benghazi. Upon arrival, they were detained by Libyan authorities for about 17 hours, leading to a traumatic experience before their return to Nigeria.
In response, Nigeria lodged a complaint with CAF detailing their grievances, while the Libyan Federation accused the Nigerian team of not cooperating during the first leg of the qualifiers. CAF has characterized the treatment of the Nigerian players in Libya as “extremely dangerous” and has reached out to both Libyan and Nigerian authorities regarding the incident.
The decision from CAF is anticipated to clarify the situation and potentially determine the next steps for both teams involved in this qualifying round.
