As discussions surrounding the Libya-Nigeria fiasco in the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations continue across the continent, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not included the match in its official schedule.
The game, originally slated for Tuesday evening, was missing from the fixtures released by CAF for Tuesday's qualifiers.
This omission has further clarified that the matter will be addressed off the pitch by CAF’s Disciplinary Board due to the no-show for the match.
How it all started
The Super Eagles departed Nigeria on Sunday enroute to Benghazi, where the match was scheduled to take place.
However, as the team was preparing to descend into the city, the pilot was redirected to Al Abraq Airport, approximately 300 kilometres from their original destination, citing technical issues.
After a series of communications, the team landed at Al Abraq, and their troubles began.
The Libyan officials failed to receive the Nigerian delegation, leaving them stranded at the airport overnight, with claims that the airport's passport scanners were faulty.
After spending about 15 hours at the airport, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, along with the team, decided not to play, citing fatigue, mental stress, and security concerns.
The team then flew back to Nigeria, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) notified CAF of their decision to abandon the match.
What’s next for Nigeria and Libya?
As the game was not listed by CAF and removed from television schedules, the CAF Disciplinary Board will review the submissions from both teams and make a ruling.
However, reports from Libya suggest that the Mediterranean Knights, who trained at the stadium on Monday, intend to take the pitch and wait for the Nigerian team.
The security coordinator for the game, Rashid Mujjbeh, and the match coordinator, Amir Abdel Hassan, have both submitted their reports to CAF. Both sides now await the final verdict from the Disciplinary Board.
