Super Eagles boycott AFCON qualifier after Libya's show of shame

Nigeria's Super Eagles stranded at a Libyan airport, refuse to play 2025 AFCON qualifier after host's lack of reception; NFF plans return flight home.

Stranded Super Eagles players at the remote airport after being held hostage by the Libyan Football Authorities on Monday leading to the boycott of the AFCON qualifier billed for Tuesday. (Photo credit: Brilla FM)

As the show of shame at the Libyan airport on Monday begins to fade, fans and analysts are eagerly awaiting the decision from CAF, the continent's football governing body.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria traveled to Libya for their 2025 AFCON qualifying match against the Knights of Libya, but their hosts had other plans, leaving the Nigerian contingent stranded at the airport, 155 miles from Benghazi, the location of the match.

Some Libyan bloggers, in their rants over the weekend, depicted the actions of the Libyan Football Authorities as deliberate retaliation for their perceived mistreatment in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, last week.

The Libyans had planned to play the game against the Super Eagles at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, but they chose to reroute to Port Harcourt and didn't notify the Nigerian FA until they were there.

The deliberate act of the Libyans to frustrate the Nigerian players and officials drew reactions from social media followers on Monday, with the Nigerian captain William Troost Ekong releasing a statement that confirms their predicament and their subsequent decision.

"The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday's 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya," a statement from the Nigerian Football Federation reads following the players’ resolve to boycott the game.

"Strangely and dangerously, the pilot of the chartered ValueJet aircraft diverted to a small airport away from Benghazi just as he was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport."

"Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi.

"Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home."

Troost-Ekong announced on X that he and the team had decided not to play this game. We are fueling our plane as we speak, and we should be departing for Nigeria shortly."