By The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has stated it will not accept any excuses from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for potentially boycotting the second leg of the Group D 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Super Eagles.
In a statement shared on its X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, the LFF made this clear after the Nigerian team and officials were stranded at Al Abaq Airport in Libya for over 16 hours due to an unexpected diversion on Sunday. This delay prompted Nigeria to consider pulling out of the match, originally scheduled for today.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday.
Accompanying photos of their players’ training session, the LFF wrote, “Some may be used to creating obstacles before the match, but here in the heart of Benghazi, specifically on the grounds of the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, there is no room for excuses once the whistle blows.”
The LFF also shared images of the national team’s preparations at the stadium for the crucial AFCON qualifier against Nigeria. “Photos from our national team’s training at the Martyrs of Benina International Stadium, in preparation for the match against Nigeria on Tuesday evening, as part of the fourth round of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” the post read.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday.
In a statement shared by The Libya Observer, the LFF accused the NFF of failing to cooperate in organizing the match, which led to the confusion surrounding the fixture. The LFF condemned the Nigerian federation for refusing to play, stating, “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. We will take all necessary legal actions to protect the interests of the Libyan national team.”
The LFF also highlighted that the issues faced by the Nigerian team were minor compared to the difficulties the Libyan team encountered during the first leg. It suggested that the NFF was responsible for mismanagement in both the initial and return fixtures.
Libyan players train ahead of the match against Super Eagles in the second tie fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday.
The statement added, “The Libyan Federation includes some inhumane footage that did not stop the Libyan mission from playing the Nigeria-Libya match last Friday in Nigeria, out of respect for the Confederation of African Football.”
It further emphasized that the NFF had not cooperated with the LFF in organizing either leg of the fixture, noting, “The events beyond our control cannot be compared to the challenges faced by the Libyan team in the first leg match.”
