The Confederation of African Football has imposed a hefty $50,000 fine on Libya and ordered the country to play two matches behind closed doors following supporter and official misconduct during their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Benin in Benghazi on November 18.
This latest sanction comes barely two months after Libya faced punishment for their controversial treatment of Nigeria’s Super Eagles during a botched AFCON qualifier in October, where the North African nation deliberately diverted Nigeria’s aircraft to an unsafe airport.
In separate rulings, CAF’s disciplinary committee also rejected Guinea’s appeal to have Tanzania disqualified from the 2024 AFCON. Guinea had lodged a complaint alleging that Tanzanian substitute Ibrahim Ame wore an incorrect shirt number (26) during their qualifier, claiming the number was not listed on the official team sheet.
Libya’s recent string of controversies has cast a shadow over African football, particularly following the October incident where they subjected the Nigerian contingent to what CAF deemed “inhumane treatment” at Al-Abraq Airport.
The Super Eagles were stranded for over 20 hours without basic amenities, leading to the match’s cancellation and CAF subsequently awarding three points to Nigeria.
The punishment has reportedly triggered diplomatic tensions, with claims of Libyan authorities targeting Nigerian residents in retaliation, though Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied reports of mass arrests.
Peter Omoreigbe, President of the Nigerian community in Libya, however, maintains that Nigerians face harassment, saying, “They are arresting innocent people. They don’t even care whether you have a passport or resident permit.”
Libya’s football federation had previously defended their actions against Nigeria, citing alleged poor treatment during their visit to Nigeria for the first leg, including landing complications in Port Harcourt instead of Uyo, the match venue.
This latest sanction by CAF demonstrates the continental body’s firm stance against misconduct in African football, as it also handed down decisions affecting Benin and Equatorial Guinea, though details of their punishments were not immediately available.
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