Potential CAF sanctions Libya may face following airport incident with Nigeria

• The Super Eagles of Nigeria were left stranded for a period spanning 20 hours upon their arrival at the Al Abraq Airport in Libya for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification fixture
• The inhumane treatment meted out to the Nigerian team contingent sparked serious conversations, with the Confederation of African Football condemning the act
• We shine a spotlight on possible punishment that could be meted out to Libya for their ill-treatment of the Nigerian team

The Super Eagles of Nigeria were subjected to what can only be described as inhumane treatment upon their arrival at Al Abraq Airport for their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya.

Upon landing at the largely deserted airport, the Nigerian team was left unattended, with no access to food or essential supplies for nearly 20 hours.

Players of the Super Eagles were left stranded at the Al Abraq airport in Libya. Image: @nff.
Source: Twitter

This disgraceful act by Libya has ignited widespread outrage from both individuals and key stakeholders, prompting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to issue a statement condemning the Libyan Football Federation.

CAF's condemnation of Libya’s unsportsmanlike conduct has sparked discussions on the potential repercussions or sanctions they may face.

In light of these events, we turn our focus to what CAF's regulations say about the mistreatment of visiting teams by host nations.

CAF rules on poor treatment of opposition teams

According to Article 16 of the CAF rules governing AFCON qualification:

"The host team shall provide the visiting team with access to a training field for the entire duration of their stay, at the team's convenience."

This regulation was clearly violated by Libya.

Article 29 of the CAF rule book further highlights Libya’s breaches:

"The host association that fails to provide the visiting team and designated match officials with all the facilities stipulated in these regulations shall reimburse all related expenses, without prejudice to the sanctions that may be imposed by the Organising Committee."

Article 31 outlines reception requirements, detailing the minimum standards for hosting teams, which Libya also failed to meet.

Although the specific sanctions for Libya and its federation are not explicitly listed in the CAF rule book, Article 117 states that any matters not addressed within the current regulations will be decided by the Organising Committee.

Thus, it is expected that CAF will convene a committee to determine appropriate sanctions in line with the severity of Libya’s unsportsmanlike actions during the investigation of this case.

Commenting on the unfortunate incident, Nigerian football expert, Chinedu Emmanuel, in an interview with Legit.ng, emphasised the need for CAF to use this situation as a deterrent, not only for Libya but for all footballing nations that resort to desperate tactics to gain an unfair advantage in club or international football.

“It's now up to CAF to make the right decision, and that means issuing Libya a significant fine for what they did. This would serve as a strong lesson to other nations, particularly the North African countries that repeatedly engage in these tactics.Nigerian teams, like Rivers United and Enyimba FC, have faced similar situations in the past... I think it's time for CAF to take bold action.CAF hasn't done enough to address or prevent these kinds of unethical acts. It's always been the North African teams causing these issues.CAF needs to make an example of Libya to send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”

It remains to be seen how this unpleasant situation surrounding Nigeria's fixture against Libya will unfold.

Sanctions Nigeria could face after Libya saga

Legit.ng in another report detailed the possible sanctions the Super Eagles could face after forfeiting their qualification fixture against Libya.

The Nigerian team opted to walk away from the encounter following the events that unfolded at Al Abaq Airport. Article 62 of the CAF AFCON regulations outlines the possible sanctions the Super Eagles could face.

The article also provides room for appeal and exceptions, a rule that may apply in Nigeria's case.

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Source: Legit.ng