The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted Nigeria a victory and awarded the full three points in the disrupted 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya.
This decision comes in the wake of a troubling incident earlier this month that forced the Super Eagles to withdraw from the scheduled match in Libya.
The match was originally slated for October 15 at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi. However, it was overshadowed by logistical complications when the Nigerian national team’s flight arrived at Al Abaq airport.
The players and coaching staff endured over 20 hours without food or water, prompting Nigeria’s withdrawal from the game.
In response to the situation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) directed the team to return home, deeming the conditions unacceptable for the match to continue. CAF subsequently initiated an investigation into the matter, labeling the events as “disturbing.”
On Saturday, CAF announced its verdict, awarding the Super Eagles all three points from the canceled match and imposing a fine of $50,000 on the Libyan Football Federation (LFF). CAF confirmed that the decision is final and that Libya has no avenue for appeal.
In a statement regarding the ruling, the Libyan Football Federation asserted that the diversion of Nigeria’s flight was not “intentional.” Despite this claim, CAF’s disciplinary committee has held Libya accountable for the incident, ultimately granting Nigeria the maximum points.
