Sports Reporter
The Nigerian men’s soccer team, known as the Super Eagles, found themselves stranded for over 15 hours at Al Abraq airport in Libya, which ultimately led to their withdrawal from the scheduled 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya in Benghazi on October 15.
According to the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), the team’s chartered ValueJet aircraft was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq, located more than 200 kilometers from Benghazi. The NFF expressed safety concerns, highlighting that the airport is primarily used for hajj operations.
Frustrated players and officials reported a lack of support from the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), which did not send a reception team or arrange transportation to their hotel, situated three hours away. The LFF claimed that the diversion was unintentional and expressed hope for a resolution.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong described the ordeal as “mind games,” stating they were left without phone service, food, or drinks. He criticized the treatment, asserting,
“We would NEVER treat a guest nation this way,” and voiced concerns about traveling further under such dire conditions.
In response to the incident, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has referred the matter to its Disciplinary Board for investigation.
Previously, the Super Eagles had secured a 1-0 victory against Libya in Nigeria and currently lead Group D with 7 points, while Libya sits at the bottom with just 1 point, with Benin and Rwanda in second and third places, respectively.
This treatment, it would seem comes as a tit-for-tat revenge by the Libyians who were given a similar reception when they visited Nigeria and eventually lost 1-0.
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