The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three goals and full points following a controversial incident during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Libya.
The Libya Football Federation has been fined $50,000, which must be paid within 60 days of the notification.
This ruling follows the Super Eagles’ troubling experience when players and officials were stranded for hours at a Libyan airport, deprived of food and internet access as they prepared for the match originally scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi.
CAF’s Disciplinary Board concluded that the Libya Football Federation violated Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. Consequently, the match, identified as Match No. 87, has been declared a forfeit, awarding Nigeria a 3-0 victory.
The Disciplinary Committee is composed of a five-member team: Chairperson Mr. Ousmane Kane (Senegal), Vice-Chairperson Ms. Njeri Onyango (Kenya), and members Mr. Felix Golbassia (Tchad), Mr. Patrick Shale (Lesotho), and Mr. Norman Arendse (South Africa).
Following this decision, Nigeria is now on track to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, having amassed 10 points from four matches, which puts them four points ahead of second-placed Benin Republic. Rwanda follows with five points, while Libya remains at the bottom with only one point, effectively eliminating them from qualification contention.
The Super Eagles will secure their spot in the finals, set to take place in Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026, with either a victory or a draw against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on November 14, 2024.
