The Libya Football Federation (LFF) has filed an official appeal challenging a Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling that awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory in a postponed Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. To contest the decision, which includes a $50,000 fine and places Libya at the bottom of Group D, the LFF has engaged Tunisian lawyer Ali Abbas to represent its case.
The dispute centers on Nigeria’s delayed arrival in Benghazi for the second leg of their AFCON qualifier against Libya, initially scheduled for 15 October.
According to the LFF, logistical issues on Libya’s side disrupted the Nigerian team’s travel plans, leading to an extensive delay that forced their flight to be diverted to Al Abraq Airport, nearly 300 kilometers from the match venue in Benghazi.
This diversion led to an 18-hour delay, which ultimately prompted CAF to cancel the match.
CAF’s Disciplinary Committee, led by Ousmane Kane, ruled in favor of Nigeria on 26 October, citing Libya’s failure to meet organisational standards as the primary reason for the forfeiture.
In its official statement, CAF cited Libya’s breach of Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, along with Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations, as the basis for the ruling.
The decision granted Nigeria three points and three goals, effectively placing Libya at the bottom of the group with a single point.
Following the ruling, the LFF released a statement condemning the decision as “unfair” and asserting that it damages Libya’s AFCON qualification hopes.
The federation argued that CAF’s decision fails to consider Libya’s logistical challenges, which they claim were beyond their immediate control.
According to the LFF, these circumstances should not have resulted in such a severe penalty.
The LFF added that the decision undermines their efforts to progress in the tournament, as Libya now faces an uphill battle to secure enough points to advance in the qualification rounds.
The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications for the group standings.
Nigeria, currently positioned favorably in Group D, now needs just a single point to secure their qualification for the AFCON finals in Morocco.
Meanwhile, the LFF’s appeal, if successful, could potentially reverse Nigeria’s awarded points and alter the group’s competitive landscape.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges surrounding AFCON qualifiers, particularly for teams facing logistical and infrastructural hurdles that can impact game schedules.
For Libya, the CAF ruling represents not only a setback in their immediate campaign but also raises questions about fairness and the application of regulations across all competing nations.
The appeal process is expected to draw considerable attention, as the LFF seeks to overturn CAF’s decision and keep its qualification hopes alive.
If the ruling stands, however, Nigeria’s path to the 2025 AFCON finals will become clearer, while Libya will be left grappling with the consequences of forfeiture in a tightly contested group.
