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After their ordeal in Libya, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are now in danger of missing out on the 2025 Nations Cup in Morocco
The Super Eagles’ journey to secure a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been thrown into chaos after a disastrous 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya.
The Nigeria Football Federation has reportedly decided to pull the team out of Tuesday's crucial qualifier against Libya, putting their AFCON dreams in serious jeopardy.
Super Eagles players lament being stranded at Libyan airport
The Super Eagles’ troubles began when their chartered plane was unexpectedly diverted from Benghazi to Al Abraq, a smaller airport typically used for hajj operations.
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As the plane was preparing to land in Benghazi, the flight was redirected, leaving the Nigerian team stranded for over 12 hours with no assistance from the Libyan Football Federation.
The lack of transportation and facilities turned the situation into a nightmare for the players and officials, who were left waiting with no food or proper rest.
NFF officials expressed their frustration in a statement, saying, "The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s AFCON qualifier is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The situation has been chaotic, and the players are exhausted."
Nigeria plans boycott after Libyan hostilities
Following the exhausting airport ordeal, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and his teammates have decided they will not play the match against Libya under such poor conditions.
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Ekong voiced his frustration on social media, condemning the treatment by Libyan authorities and questioning the safety of continuing under these circumstances.
"We have been kept in an abandoned airport for over 12 hours without food or proper accommodation. We respect ourselves as a team, and under these conditions, we refuse to play," Ekong posted.
Other players, including Victor Boniface, Bright-Osayi Samuel, and Stanley Nwabali, echoed his sentiments, lamenting the harsh conditions they faced and the lack of support from local officials.
The NFF has backed the players' decision, confirming they are making arrangements for the team to fly back to Nigeria, effectively withdrawing from the fixture.
Super Eagles' risk AFCON qualifier elimination
The decision to pull out of the match could have serious consequences for Nigeria’s AFCON campaign.
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According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations, any team that “for any reason whatsoever” withdraws from a match or refuses to play “except in cases of force majeure accepted by the Organising Commission” could be docked three points and three goals.
Worse still, the Super Eagles could face elimination from the tournament altogether, as dictated by CAF regulations.
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If Nigeria forfeits the match, their seven points in Group D could leave them vulnerable, with teams like Benin Republic and Rwanda closing in.
A win for Benin against Rwanda in their next game would push them above Nigeria to nine points, while Rwanda could get back into contention with a win, that would take them to five points.
This scenario would put immense pressure on the Super Eagles to win their remaining matches to secure qualification, making their path to AFCON 2025 far more difficult.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2025 AFCON now hang in the balance, with the team's fate dependent on CAF’s final decision regarding their withdrawal as what should have been a straightforward qualifier has turned into a crisis that could cost the Super Eagles their place in Morocco next year.
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