What is Omar Al Mukhtar Friendly Championship? Why did it postpone Libya's AFCON 2025 qualifiers camp

• The proposed Libya national team camp scheduled for Saturday, November 2, 2024, was postponed
• This was due to the Omar Al-Mukhtar Friendly Championship ahead of the Libya Premier League season
• The tournament, in honour of a former Libyan revolutionary, is an eight-team pre-season tournament

Libya national team head coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri proposed an early preparation camp for his players ahead of their final two AFCON 2025 qualifier games.

The Mediterranean Knights have games against Rwanda and Benin Republic left in the qualifying series, hoping that things can go their way and still qualify for Morocco 2025.

Libya national team players during their training ahead of the botched AFCON 2025 qualifier match against Nigeria. Photo by Libyan FF.
Source: Twitter

According to Libya Al Ahrar TV, the camping was shifted, and it was disclosed that some players will participate in the Omar Al-Mukhtar Friendly Championship.

What is Omar Al-Mukhtar Friendly Championship?

According to the Libya News Agency, the Omar Al-Mukhtar Friendly Champions is an eight-team invitational pre-season tournament named after former Libyan revolutionary and imam.

The competition, organised by Ajyaluna Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Benghazi Football Sub-Federation, was initially created for six teams but was expanded to eight.

The eight teams are divided into two groups of four teams, with each team facing each other once, and the winner of each group playing in the final.

This year's edition features Al-Ahly Benghazi, Al-Suwaihli Misurata, Al-Sadaqa, Al-Nasr, Al-Ittihad Tripoli, Al-Hilal, Al-Olympi, Al-Tahadi, The first four occupy Group A and the last four in Group B.

Al-Hilal have booked their place in the final after winning Group B and await the winner of Group A with the remaining two games scheduled for the Martyrs of Benina International Stadium, Benghazi, Libya.

The tournament is seen as an opportunity for participating teams to access their players before the Libyan Premier League starts, which explains why the national team camp was postponed.

Al-Mukhtar is a Libyan national hero. He fought the Italian colonial empire for 20 years before he was executed in 1931, five days after he was captured.

How Libya could qualify for AFCON 2025

Legit.ng analysed how Libya could qualify for AFCON 2025 despite CAF's verdict favouring the Super Eagles and leaving the North Africans on the brink of missing out.

Their path to the tournament in Morocco is not in their hands as they will need help from Nigeria, which they mistreated, making it nearly impossible to happen.

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Source: Legit.ng