In a recent development, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria’s Super Eagles three points and three goals for their AFCON 2025 qualifier match against Libya, which ended in controversy. The decision, a result of the Libyan Football Federation’s failure to meet certain requirements, was coupled with a fine of $50,000 for the Libyan federation.
CAF shared the news on its official website on Saturday, stating that CAF’s Disciplinary Board had reviewed and deliberated on the events surrounding the qualifier, scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi, Libya.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and their officials were left stranded for hours at Al Abaq Airport upon arrival in Libya for the qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights. Following what has been described as inhumane treatment by Libyan authorities, the Super Eagles eventually boycotted the match.
In its ruling, CAF explained that the Libyan Football Federation had breached specific articles in both the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and the CAF Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Board’s official statement outlined the key decisions as follows:
1. Libya’s Football Federation was found guilty of breaching Article 31 of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, along with Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
2. The match between Libya and Nigeria was declared forfeited by Libya, awarding Nigeria a 3-0 victory.
3. Libya’s Football Federation was also directed to pay a fine of USD 50,000, with a payment deadline of 60 days following the ruling.
The incident has raised questions around player welfare and operational standards in African football tournaments. Many have pointed out that the stranded Super Eagles experienced inhumane conditions due to their prolonged wait at the airport, a situation that escalated to a boycott of the match.
With this decision, the Eagles now have 10 points from four matches, putting them four points ahead of second-placed Benin Republic, while Rwanda stands at five points. Libya sits at the bottom with just one point and is no longer in contention for qualification.
A win or draw against Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, November 14 (Matchday 5) will secure the Super Eagles a spot in the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
