The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that the Super Eagles of Nigeria would no longer honour tomorrow’s encounter against the Libyan national team.
The encounter which is the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
(AFCON) qualifiers between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and their Libyan counterparts was earlier scheduled for Tuesday 15th October in Libya, but the NFF has announced the withdrawal of the Super Eagles from the AFCON qualifier against the north Africans.
The NFF decided after the team endured a frustrating 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya, after being stranded since arriving on Sunday afternoon.
The Nigerian delegation was heading to Benghazi for the crucial match when their chartered aircraft was unexpectedly diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq, a smaller airport typically used for hajj operations.
Stranded without support from the Libyan Football Federation, the players and officials were left without transportation.
In a statement on Monday, the NFF described the chaotic situation, noting that the team had been stuck at the airport for more than 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, located three hours away.
“The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport,” the NFF stated.
Due to the exhaustion and frustration, the players have decided not to participate in the match.
Supporting their decision, the NFF is now arranging for the team’s return to Nigeria, effectively withdrawing from the game.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement further read.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong criticized the treatment by the Libyan authorities.
Nigerian fans and authorities of the Confederation of African Football would soon react to the development.