The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to announce its decision on the controversial AFCON qualifying Group D match between Libya and Nigeria, originally scheduled for October 15 at Benina Martyrs Stadium.
According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, CAF will provide a final ruling regarding the events surrounding the first leg in Nigeria, which ended with a 1-0 victory for the Super Eagles.
The decision will also address the postponed return fixture that was to take place at Libya’s first all-seater stadium, with a capacity of 10,550.
The Libyan Football Federation has reportedly submitted all necessary documentation, supported by a specialized lawyer, to oversee the case with CAF.
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Following the match’s cancellation just hours before kick-off, CAF removed the fixture from its calendar and referred the situation to its Disciplinary Committee.
In a statement, the Libyan Football Federation criticized the actions taken by Nigeria concerning their refusal to play. They confirmed plans to pursue all legal avenues to protect the interests of the national team.
Nigeria arrived for the match on October 14, but their flight was diverted to Al Abraq International Airport, approximately three hours from Benghazi.
The Nigerian team was held for about 17 hours, leading to significant distress before they returned home.
Nigeria has filed a complaint with CAF, expressing their grievances, while the Libyan Federation claimed that Nigeria did not cooperate during either leg of the qualifying matches, suggesting that their experience in Libya was far less challenging than the one they faced in Nigeria.
CAF described the treatment of the Nigerian team in Libya as “extremely dangerous” and has contacted both Libyan and Nigerian authorities after reports indicated that the players endured distressing conditions at the airport.
The matter has been referred to CAF’s disciplinary committee for further investigation and appropriate action against any parties that violated regulations.
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