The Nigerian men’s soccer team, the Super Eagles, faced significant trouble when they were stranded for over 15 hours at Al Abraq Airport in Libya. They were set to play a 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya in Benghazi on October 15 but ultimately chose not to participate.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) explained that their chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq Airport, over 200 kilometers from Benghazi, just before landing. This airport is usually reserved for hajj operations, making the diversion unusual.
The players and officials were tired and frustrated, as the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) failed to provide any assistance or transportation to their hotel, which was about three hours away.
The LFF denied any wrongdoing, claiming the diversion was unintentional. However, the NFF refuted claims of mistreatment by the Libyan captain and criticized the LFF for causing confusion.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is now investigating the incident.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong described the experience as “mind games,” highlighting that they were left without phone service, food, or drink. He expressed his disappointment on social media, stating that they were abandoned at the airport without any explanation and that the conditions were unacceptable.
Troost-Ekong emphasized that the team would not travel by road for safety reasons and expressed concerns about what they might encounter at their hotel. He reiterated that respect is essential when hosting visiting teams.
He shared photos of players trying to rest at the airport and suggested the disruption may have been intentional. He confirmed that the team has since returned to Nigeria.
Despite these difficulties, the Super Eagles had previously beaten Libya 1-0 in Nigeria and are currently leading Group D with 7 points, while Libya sits at the bottom with just one point.
