Video catches Tunisia FA vice-president Hussein Jenayeh in confrontation during Libya defeat

Hussein Jenayeh, vice-president of the Tunisian Football Federation, was involved in a physical confrontation with an official from Libya’s delegation as the second half of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match was about to begin.

The incident took place at Stade Taieb Mhiri in Sfax on 17 November 2026, shortly after Jenayeh had challenged Moroccan referee Hamza Al-Fariq as the players returned to the pitch.

A verbal exchange followed when a member of the Libyan delegation intervened. The dispute quickly escalated, with the two men pushing and grappling as players, coaching staff and supporters looked on.

Mobile phone footage showed the pair trading angry words before security personnel moved in to separate them. Order was restored and the referee was able to restart the match, although the incident immediately raised questions about what had happened behind the scenes.

The confrontation overshadowed a match already carrying significant pressure because of its importance in the race to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Libya secured a 2-0 victory over the hosts in the third round of qualifying, giving them renewed hope of reaching the finals for the first time in 15 years.

The Mediterranean Knights had taken only one point from their opening two matches, after a defeat and a draw, but produced a disciplined and determined performance to leave Sfax with all three points.

They took the lead in the closing stages of the first half after Azzo Al-Mraymi won a penalty following a serious error by Ali Maaloul. Ali Youssef converted from the spot to send Libya into the interval 1-0 ahead.

Tunisia pushed forward with all their players in search of an equaliser after the break. That left space for Libya to attack, and they punished the hosts with a swift counter.

Hamed Al-Houni led the move before receiving a precise pass from Saif Jadur. He then struck powerfully past Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen to score Libya’s second goal and effectively settle the contest.

The result lifted Libya to four points from three matches, putting them top of the group on goal difference from Uganda, who have played two games.

Tunisia remain bottom with two points from their first three matches, having drawn twice and lost once despite playing all three fixtures at home. Their hopes of reaching the finals have consequently suffered a major setback.

While Libya celebrated an important victory, the confrontation involving Jenayeh became the defining image of the night. Potential decisions and disciplinary action remain possible following an incident that cast a shadow over one of the key matches in the African qualifying campaign.