Libya Condemns Nigeria's AFCON Withdrawal, Threatens Legal Action

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has strongly criticized Nigeria's decision to withdraw from the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, threatening to take legal action to protect its national team’s interests. The Super Eagles cited safety concerns after being stranded for over 13 hours at Al Abaq Airport, following an unexpected flight diversion on Sunday. This led to Nigeria pulling out of the match, which was originally set for Tuesday, October 15.

In a statement shared by *The Libya Observer*, the LFF blamed the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for failing to cooperate in organizing the match and causing the current confusion. The statement emphasized that the LFF will take all necessary legal measures to safeguard the interests of the Libyan national team.

The LFF also criticized the NFF’s handling of both legs of the match, comparing the current situation to the challenges faced by the Libyan team during the first leg in Nigeria, which they played despite unfavorable conditions. The LFF apologized to Libyan football fans for the confusion, attributing the delays and match cancellation to the NFF’s actions.

This controversy follows viral photos of the Super Eagles stranded at the Libyan airport without food or water, prompting condemnation from Nigerian authorities. Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, described the treatment as "disgraceful" and accused Libyan authorities of intentionally causing delays by revoking the team's landing permit.