The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has condemned Nigeria’s withdrawal from the second-leg Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Benghazi and vowed to take legal action to protect the interests of the Libyan national football team.
The Super Eagles pulled out of the match, initially scheduled for October 15th, citing safety concerns after being stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 15 hours without access to basic necessities like food, water, or rest.
In a statement shared by The Libya Observer, the LFF stressed that despite the mistreatment they experienced in Nigeria during the first-leg match, they proceeded with the game. The LFF accused the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of mishandling both the initial and return legs, claiming that the Nigerian team was uncooperative with the Libyan delegation.
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“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 LFF stated, adding that they will take “all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team.”
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The LFF acknowledged the logistical challenges faced by the Super Eagles in Libya but insisted they were beyond their control and not as severe as the treatment their team received in Nigeria. “The Libyan Federation attaches some inhumane footage that did not prevent the Libyan mission from playing the Nigeria-Libya match last Friday in Nigeria, out of cooperation with the Confederation of African Football.”
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Libyan officials also emphasized that the NFF failed to cooperate throughout both legs of the encounter, asserting that the difficulties in Libya paled in comparison to what the Libyan team endured in Nigeria.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong described the conditions at Al Abaq Airport as “disgraceful,” accusing Libyan authorities of deliberately revoking their landing permit and subjecting the Nigerian team to “mind games” by stranding them without basic amenities.
The rising tensions between the two football federations have further complicated the AFCON qualifying campaign.
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