The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced plans to fly its national team back home following claims of mistreatment in Libya ahead of a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. The Nigerian team was held at an abandoned airport for over 15 hours upon arrival on Sunday, prompting the players to refuse to play the scheduled match against Libya.
NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, confirmed that the players have resolved not to proceed with the game, citing safety concerns. Captain William Troost-Ekong reinforced this stance, stating, “We will NOT play this game. Let them have the points.” The team also refused a three-hour bus ride from Al-Abraq to Benina, where the match was to be held.
Nigeria has filed a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding the situation. Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, who accompanied the team, called for severe sanctions against Libya, saying, “Libya ought to be banned from international football.” He criticized CAF for allowing matches to be held in a “high-risk” country.
In response, the Libyan Football Federation denied any wrongdoing, attributing the situation to a “misunderstanding.” Despite this, Nigeria leads Group D with seven points from three matches, while Libya sits at the bottom with one point.
