The Traffic

"Libyan FA Fights Back: Vows Legal Action After CAF Hands Nigeria Victory in Airport Saga"

Yakubu Haruna Yakubu 

The Libyan Football Federation is gearing up for a fierce legal battle after rejecting the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) verdict that handed Nigeria a default victory in the wake of the airport saga. Following CAF's decision to award the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals in the postponed Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Libya has vowed to challenge the ruling, which also slapped them with a $50,000 fine.

The incident in question occurred ahead of the October 14 clash between Libya and Nigeria, which was set to take place at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi. However, the drama unfolded far from the football pitch when Libyan authorities rerouted Nigeria's team flight to Al Abraq International Airport—a remote station far from the original destination. In a shocking turn of events, the Super Eagles were reportedly held "hostage" at the airport, unable to reach the match venue in time.

CAF’s Sanctions Ignite Tensions

CAF, Africa’s football governing body, launched an investigation into the matter and announced its verdict, which has since ignited fury within Libya’s football community. According to CAF, Libya breached three ethics codes by causing the delay, and as a result, Nigeria was awarded the full match points and goals. The ruling also dismissed proposals to replay the match at a neutral venue, adding to the controversy. 

But it wasn’t just the default win for Nigeria that stung Libya—the $50,000 fine for their part