AFCONQ 2025: Libyan FF to Take Legal Action Against Super Eagles for Refusing to Play Scheduled Match

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has announced its intention to take legal action against Nigeria following the latter's withdrawal from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match.

The match, originally scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, was called off by Nigeria due to safety concerns after their team was stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 13 hours.

The LFF expressed its disapproval of Nigeria's decision, stating, "The Libyan Football Federation condemns the measures taken by the Nigerian Football Federation by refusing to play the Libya-Nigeria match in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers." The federation emphasized its commitment to taking "all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team."

The situation escalated when photos of the Nigerian team, known as the Super Eagles, sleeping on benches went viral, prompting widespread condemnation. The team's captain, William Troost-Ekong, described the conditions at the airport as "disgraceful," accusing Libyan authorities of playing "mind games" by revoking their landing permit and leaving them without basic amenities.

Despite these challenges, the LFF maintained that the Nigerian Football Federation failed to cooperate in organizing both the first and second leg matches. "The Libyan Football Federation clarifies that its Nigerian counterpart did not cooperate with it in any way," the statement read, adding that the confusion caused by Nigeria led to the match not being held on time.

In an effort to address the fallout, the LFF issued an apology to Libyan football fans and other concerned parties, attributing the delays and confusion to the actions of the Nigerian Football Federation. "The Libyan Football Federation apologizes to Libyan football fans everywhere and to the parties concerned with the match arrangements due to the state of confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation," the statement concluded.

As the controversy unfolds, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to investigate the incident further, while the Libyan Football Federation prepares to defend its national team's interests through legal channels.