The Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals in their abandoned matchday 4, 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, originally scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benina.
In a ruling issued on Saturday, signed by Disciplinary Board Chairman Ousmane Kane, the committee determined that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) had violated Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations, as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“The Libyan Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations, as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. The match No. 87, Libya v Nigeria, of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October 2024 in Benghazi), is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (with a record of 3-0),” the ruling read.
The committee also imposed a fine of $50,000 on the LFF, which must be paid within 60 days of the decision’s notification.
The decision solidifies Nigeria’s position in the qualification race, placing the Super Eagles on 10 points from four matches, four points ahead of second-placed Benin Republic.
Rwanda sits third with five points, while Libya, with only one point, is out of contention for qualification.
Nigeria can secure their spot in the AFCON finals, scheduled for December 2025/January 2026 in Morocco, with a win or draw in their upcoming match against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on November 14.
The controversy began when the Nigerian team boycotted the scheduled match, citing safety concerns after being stranded at the remote Al-Abraq airport near Benghazi for over 22 hours. In response, the LFF accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of not cooperating on travel arrangements and claimed that their own team had faced similar challenges during the reverse fixture a week earlier in Port Harcourt.
CAF’s ruling brings clarity to the situation, emphasizing its commitment to upholding regulations and ensuring fair competition throughout the tournament.
