[By Abigail Philip David]
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has expressed joy over the recent ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) concerning Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya.
CAF’s Disciplinary Board awarded Nigeria three points and three goals for the unplayed Matchday 4 game, originally scheduled between Libya and Nigeria on October 15 in Benina. The decision, signed by Disciplinary Board Chairman Ousmane Kane, cited Libya for violating Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations, as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
“The Libyan Football Federation breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations, alongside Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code,” the ruling partially reads. “Match No. 87, Libya vs Nigeria, in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025, is declared a 3-0 forfeit win for Nigeria.”
Additionally, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has been fined $50,000, with payment due within 60 days.
This ruling brings Nigeria closer to securing a spot in the 2025 AFCON, with the Super Eagles now on 10 points from four games, leading Benin Republic by four points. Rwanda trails with five points, while Libya is eliminated with only one point. A win or draw against Benin on November 14 in Abidjan would confirm Nigeria’s qualification for the tournament set for December 2025/January 2026 in Morocco.
Nigeria’s team had boycotted the October 15 match due to safety concerns after being stranded at Al-Abraq Airport near Benghazi for over 22 hours. In response, Libya accused the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of failing to coordinate travel plans and alleged that the Libyan team faced similar treatment in Nigeria during their prior fixture.
Reacting to the ruling on X (formerly Twitter), Troost-Ekong shared his excitement, writing, “JUSTICE: CAF awards three points and three goals to Nigeria. Libya fined $50,000. One step closer to our target AFCON 2025.”
He added that the team’s plane had been diverted 300 kilometers from its intended airport, despite low fuel warnings from the pilot.
