The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has withdrawn the Super Eagles from Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, following a harrowing 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya.
The Nigerian delegation, which arrived on Sunday, faced an unexpected and frustrating delay when their chartered aircraft was abruptly diverted mid-flight from Benghazi to Al Abraq, a small airport mainly used for hajj operations.
The diversion left players and officials stranded without any support from the Libyan Football Federation, which failed to provide transportation or any form of assistance.
In a statement released on Monday, the NFF detailed the chaotic situation, revealing that the team remained stuck at the airport for more than 12 hours, unable to proceed to their hotel in Benghazi, which is a three-hour drive away.
“The Super Eagles have been at Al Abraq Airport for over 12 hours since landing in Libya,” the NFF statement read.
“The aircraft was dangerously diverted from Benghazi just as the pilot was preparing to land.
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The players and officials are fatigued, and there was no reception or transportation provided by the hosts.”
Team captain William Troost-Ekong, expressing concerns over safety, stated that the players were not willing to undertake the three-hour road journey to Benina, where the match was to be played.
“Let them have the points. We will not travel by road here, even with security; it’s not safe. We can only imagine the conditions at the hotel or the quality of the food if we proceeded,” he posted on social media platform X.
The NFF is now making arrangements to fly the team back to Nigeria, as the Super Eagles stand firm in their decision not to participate in the match.
This incident adds to the recent history of complaints about poor treatment in Libya, with Rwanda also reporting unfavorable conditions during an AFCON qualifier last month.
Libyan officials, meanwhile, had previously claimed that their team experienced subpar treatment during their visit to Nigeria for the first leg of the qualifier in Uyo, which Nigeria won 1-0.
