The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has fined Libya $10 million following a troubling incident that left Nigeria’s football team stranded for 12 hours without basic amenities at the wrong airport in Libya. As part of the sanctions, Libya is barred from hosting any home matches until 2026.
The Nigeria vs. Libya match, initially set to take place in Libya, has been rescheduled for March 2025 and will now be held in Angola. This decision was made to prioritize the safety of visiting teams.
The Nigerian squad’s ordeal began when their flight was diverted to Al Abraq Airport, nearly 200 kilometers from Benghazi, where they were left without food or water for an extended period. CAF has launched an investigation into the incident, vowing to hold accountable those responsible.
While the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has praised CAF’s response, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) maintains that the diversion was due to standard air traffic protocols and security checks. The situation has raised serious concerns about the treatment of visiting teams in African football.
