Libyan Football Federation Condemns Nigeria’s Withdrawal from 2025 AFCON Qualifier, Vows Legal Action

 

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has expressed strong disapproval of Nigeria's decision to withdraw from the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, while announcing its intent to pursue legal action to protect its national team's interests.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles opted out of the match, originally set for Tuesday, October 15, citing safety concerns after being stranded for over 13 hours at Al Abaq Airport following an unplanned flight diversion on Sunday.

In a statement, the LFF criticized the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for a lack of cooperation and highlighted the challenges their team faced during the first leg of the encounter. "The Libyan Football Federation clarifies that its Nigerian counterpart did not cooperate with us in any way, regarding either the first or second leg match. It should be noted that the incidents beyond our control do not compare to the challenges the Libyan national team endured in the first leg," the statement read.

The LFF also extended an apology to Libyan football fans, explaining that the confusion and delays surrounding the match arrangements stemmed from the actions of the NFF.

"We apologise to Libyan football fans everywhere, as well as to all parties involved in the match arrangements, for the state of confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation, which led to the match not being held on time," the statement concluded.

The situation has sparked tensions between the two football federations, leaving the future of the scheduled qualifier uncertain.