The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals due to the missed match against Libya, a noteworthy decision following a contentious situation.
This announcement follows a comprehensive investigation that arose from Nigeria’s qualifier for the Africa Cup of Nations against Libya. CAF President Patrice Motsepe had previously stressed the importance of sportsmanship and fairness, affirming that any misconduct would not be tolerated within African football. His comments underscore the need for greater accountability in the sport across the continent.
On Saturday, Ousmane Kane, Chairperson of the CAF Disciplinary Board, released a statement formalizing the decision. The board determined that Libya had subjected the Nigerian senior men’s football team to an unacceptable level of treatment. This conclusion was supported by the five-member disciplinary committee, which included representatives from several African nations: Ousmane Kane (Senegal) as Chairperson, Njeri Onyango (Kenya) as Vice-Chairperson, Felix Golbassia (Tchad), Patrick Shale (Lesotho), and Norman Arendse (South Africa).
CAF’s ruling indicated that the Libya Football Federation violated various regulations, specifically breaching Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations, as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. Consequently, the board announced that the upcoming match No. 87 between Libya and Nigeria, scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi, would be declared a forfeited loss for Libya with a score of 3-0.
In addition to this ruling, CAF ordered Libya to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days following notification of the decision. This penalty emphasizes the seriousness of the situation and reinforces CAF’s commitment to maintaining discipline and fair treatment in African football.
Reports revealed that the Nigerian players and officials experienced difficult circumstances, being stranded at a Libyan airport for hours without access to food or internet while waiting to participate in the qualifier against Libya. Their departure was only facilitated through diplomatic efforts and social media campaigns that garnered significant attention and support.
With the recent CAF decision, Nigeria is now well-positioned to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with two matches remaining in the qualifiers. The Super Eagles currently have 10 points from four matches, leading the second-placed Benin Republic by four points, who have 6 points. Rwanda follows with 5 points, while bottom-placed Libya is at a mere one point, effectively eliminating them from the qualification race.
The next crucial match for Nigeria is against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan on Thursday, November 14, as part of Matchday 5 of the qualifiers. A win or draw in this match will secure the Super Eagles a place in the finals in Morocco, scheduled for December 2025 through January 2026, marking an important goal as they seek to establish their dominance in African football once again.
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