KEY POINTS
- Nigeria refused to play after being delayed in Libya.
- CAF found Libya in breach of hosting protocols.
- Nigeria now leads Group D by four points.
Nigeria has been awarded a 3-0 victory over Libya and three crucial points in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
They refused to play earlier this month after being held at a remote Libyan airport for over half a day before the match.
Nigeria awarded 3-0 win after airport delay
The Confederation of African Football’s disciplinary committee on Saturday awarded the win to Nigeria, pushing the team to the top of Group D and within reach of next year’s finals. The result gives Nigeria 10 points with two matches remaining, placing them four points ahead of second-place Benin and five points clear of Rwanda. Libya remains last in the group with one point from four games. The top two teams from each group will advance to the 2025 finals in Morocco.
Nigeria declined to play the match scheduled for Oct. 15 in Benghazi, citing poor treatment upon their arrival in Libya. Nigerian players and officials were held in a locked airport nearly 250 kilometres from their intended destination for more than 16 hours after their charter flight was diverted to Bayda instead of Benghazi.
The Nigerian Football Federation said the team had no access to food, water, or contact with Libyan officials during the delay, prompting them to return home rather than proceed with the match. Libya’s Football Federation claimed the incident was unintentional and noted their players also faced travel issues during their match in Nigeria four days earlier.
CAF reviews rules on team treatment in Africa
However, CAF ruled that Libya had violated regulations requiring host nations to properly receive visiting teams, assist with entry procedures, and provide transportation. Libya was fined $50,000, and the match was awarded to Nigeria with a 3-0 scoreline, according to Reuters.Â
The incident has drawn attention to longstanding issues of poor treatment for visiting teams in African competitions. CAF President Patrice Motsepe said this week the organization is considering stricter rules to prevent the mistreatment of visiting teams, a recurring problem in African football, where teams often face immigration delays, lengthy bus rides, and subpar facilities.
