Football: After Libya Airport nightmare, NFF pulls ‘abandoned’ Super Eagles from AFCON qualifier

Football: After Libya Airport nightmare, NFF pulls ‘abandoned’ Super Eagles from AFCON qualifier

“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home”

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has decided to withdraw the Super Eagles from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya on Tuesday.

The team had a tough time at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya, where they were stranded for 12 hours after their arrival on Sunday afternoon.

It was gathered that the Nigerian delegation was on its way to Benghazi for the crucial qualifier when their chartered aircraft was diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq, a small airport usually used for hajj operations.

The unexpected diversion left players and officials stranded without any assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, which failed to provide transportation. …continue reading after adverts

In a statement on Monday, the NFF explained that the team remained at the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away. More

“The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport,” the NFF stated.

The NFF stated further that the fatigued and frustrated players have now resolved not to play the match.

The NFF, supporting the players’ decision, is currently arranging for the team to fly back to Nigeria, effectively pulling them out of the fixture.

“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement said.

In his reaction to the situation, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong condemned the treatment by the Libyan authorities.

In a series of tweets early Monday morning, Troost-Ekong described the situation as “disgraceful,” accusing the hosts of playing “mind games.”

He revealed that the team is being kept in an abandoned airport with no access to food, drink, or phone connections.

“12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.

“I’ve experienced issues before while playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour,” he wrote.

Troost-Ekong also mentioned the difficulties faced by the Tunisian pilot, who managed the unexpected change in destination but was subsequently refused accommodation for his crew under government orders.

While the pilot could rest at the airport, Nigerian crew members were not allowed to stay, forcing them to sleep on the plane.

“Even the Tunisian pilot, who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land, had never seen anything like this before,” he wrote.

“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby hotel to rest with his crew but was denied at every hotel, again under government instruction. He could sleep there, but no Nigerian crew members were allowed. They have now returned to sleep on the plane, which is parked up,” Troost-Ekong stated. More