Libyan football faces decline amid persistent crises

Libyan football has been grappling with a significant decline in recent years, marked by disappointing results at both club and national levels.

The nation has been conspicuously absent from major continental competitions, reflecting ongoing challenges in the sport’s development.

The latest setback came when the senior national team failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

This failure extended to the youth teams, with Libya’s U-20 and U-17 squads also unable to progress in their respective African Nations qualifiers.

For over four years, the sport has been mired in a combination of organizational issues, deteriorating league standards, and the broader socio-political instability in Libya.

These factors have directly impacted the performance of clubs and national teams, with the senior national side at the forefront of this crisis.

During the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, Libya’s “Mediterranean Knights” ended at the bottom of Group Four with just five points.

The group’s qualifiers, Nigeria and Benin, left Libya without a place in the finals.

A significant blow came when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) sanctioned Libya during their match against Nigeria, awarding a 3-0 walkover victory to the Super Eagles following incidents involving the Nigerian delegation.

This marks the fifth consecutive time Libya has failed to qualify for the AFCON finals, following unsuccessful campaigns in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.

Magdi Shuaib, a former member of the Libyan Football Federation, attributed the sport’s struggles to Libya’s unstable security and social environment.

“The lack of stability has hampered the Federation’s efforts, making it difficult to organize matches and forcing teams to play in neighboring countries like Tunisia and Egypt,” Shuaib remarked.

The consequences have been evident in continental competitions.

Al-Nasr and Al-Ahly Benghazi exited the CAF Champions League early, while Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al-Hilal Benghazi were eliminated in the Confederation Cup’s opening rounds.

Poor planning and organizational issues in the domestic Premier League have further compounded the challenges, with coaches highlighting the lack of a clear schedule as a major concern.

Despite these setbacks, there is cautious optimism for the future.

New stadiums under construction in cities like Benghazi and Al-Bayda, coupled with potential improvements in league organization, could help revive Libyan football.

Fans remain hopeful that the sport can regain its stature on the Arab and continental stages with sustained effort and stability.