why did Nigeria decide to boycott its CAN 2025 qualifying match in Libya?

Blocked for many hours in an airport, the Nigeria team decided not to play its qualifying match for CAN 2025, scheduled for Tuesday, in Libya.

A grotesque situation. The Nigeria team has decided not to play its CAN 2025 qualifying match this Tuesday in Libya, denouncing “inhumane treatment” since its arrival in the country. While their plane, which was supposed to land in Benghazi, was diverted to Al-Abraq, the Super Eagles were stuck for more than fifteen hours at the airport without food or drink.

This situation, which occurred a few days after Nigeria’s victory against Libya in Abuja (1-0), was strongly denounced by the Nigerian Football Federation, which sent an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). , and by captain William Troost-Ekong, who reported the events almost in real time on social networks, just like some of his teammates. And he himself informed of the team’s desire not to play the match.

A call for sanctions

“As the captain of the team and with the team, we have decided NOT to play this match. Let’s give them the points,” William Troost-Ekong posted, also citing fears about security on the three-hour journey between Al-Abraq and Benina, where the match was to take place. “We will not accept traveling by road here, even with security, it is not safe,” he added.

Present with the team, former striker Victor Ikpeba called for severe sanctions against Libya. “If CAF does its job, Libya should be banned from international football. It is a high risk country and one really wonders who approved Libya playing their matches at home. I played for the Super Eagles for 10 years and I have never experienced what I experienced in Libya in the last few hours. (…) We were locked in an abandoned airport for more than 10 hours, like hostages,” he told AFP.

After hours of negotiations, and while the Libyan authorities refused to let the Nigerian delegation leave, a solution was finally found and the Super Eagles were able to take a plane to return to Nigeria. But these events should not remain without consequences.