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Nigeria/Libya: Libya Threatens Legal Action After Nigeria Pulls Out of Football Qualifier

todayOctober 16, 2024 2

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Abuja, Nigeria — The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) is criticizing Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from the 2025 AFCON qualifier in Libya and is threatening to take legal action.

On Monday, Nigeria’s national football team the Super Eagles walked off the fixture citing safety concerns after being stranded at a local airport in Libya without food and internet access for more than 16 hours.

Tuesday’s statement by the LFF accused its Nigerian counterpart, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of not cooperating with local organizers.

LFF said the flight diversion was possibly caused by routine aircraft protocols, security checks or logistical problems beyond their control, adding that Libyan players faced similar challenges in last week’s reverse fixture in Nigeria.

LFF said it will “take all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team.”

The Nigerian Super Eagles had been scheduled to take on the Mediterranean Knights of Libya on Tuesday to seal their qualification for the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco.

However, the Nigerian men’s team pulled out of its Confederation of African Football, or CAF, qualifier in Libya and returned home in protest at being abandoned at an airport after their plane was diverted.

The NFF said the team was taken to Al-Abraq International Airport three hours away from the venue of the match and that local authorities did not make alternative travel plans for the team.