The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to announce its decision on the disrupted Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group D qualifying match between Libya and Nigeria.
The fixture, which was scheduled for October 15 at the Benina Martyrs Stadium, was cancelled hours before kickoff.
According to Libya Al-Ahrar Channel, CAF will address the situation on Wednesday, revealing the fate of the match that saw Nigeria’s Super Eagles claim a 1-0 victory in the first leg in Nigeria. However, the reverse fixture, which would have taken place at the 10,550-seater stadium in Benghazi, never materialized.
The Libyan Football Federation had submitted documents concerning the botched fixture, working closely with a specialized lawyer to present its case to CAF. The federation has criticized the Nigerian side for refusing to play the match, promising to pursue legal actions to protect its national team’s interests.
The controversy arose when Nigeria’s team arrived in Libya on October 14, only for their flight to be diverted to Al Abraq International Airport, located three hours away from the match venue. The Nigerian players and officials were reportedly detained at the airport for over 17 hours, a situation that CAF described as “extremely dangerous.”
In response, the Nigerian Football Federation lodged a complaint with CAF, decrying the treatment their team endured. CAF has since referred the matter to its Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.
The situation marks a significant diplomatic and sporting conflict between the two nations, with both sides accusing each other of non-cooperation during the qualifiers.
The Libyan Federation also raised issues from the first-leg match in Nigeria, alleging that their team faced difficult conditions as well.
CAF’s impending announcement is eagerly anticipated, with the potential to influence the qualification standings and impose sanctions on the party found responsible for the debacle.