The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has threatened to take legal action following Nigeria's withdrawal from the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. The LFF expressed its duty to protect the interests of its national team amid the controversy.
The Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, pulled out of the match, which was initially set for Tuesday, October 15, due to safety concerns. The team had been stranded at Al Abaq Airport for over 13 hours on Sunday after an unexpected flight diversion. The players and staff were left without access to basic necessities, such as food, water, and proper rest, which raised concerns about their well-being. Photos of the team sleeping on benches went viral, leading to public outrage and condemnation from Nigerian authorities.
In response to Nigeria's decision, the LFF released a statement on Monday night, October 14, accusing the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of failing to cooperate in organizing the match. The LFF claimed that the confusion leading to Nigeria's withdrawal was due to the NFF's actions.
“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 scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, stressing that it will take all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team,” the LFF said in its statement.
The LFF also argued that the Nigerian federation's handling of the situation was disproportionate, particularly when compared to the challenges the Libyan team faced during the first leg in Nigeria. The LFF claimed that despite facing inhumane conditions in the previous match, the Libyan team still fulfilled their commitment.
The federation added that the Nigerian side did not cooperate in arranging either the first or second leg of the match and apologized to Libyan football fans and stakeholders for the disruption caused by Nigeria's actions.
The legal threat and the fallout from Nigeria's withdrawal have raised concerns about the future of the AFCON qualifier between the two nations, as the dispute may now be settled off the pitch.
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