Sport
Super Eagles Stranded in Libya as Nigeria Pulls Out of AFCON Qualifier
The Nigerian Super Eagles have found themselves stranded for over 17 hours at a Libyan airport, following a flight diversion.
Reports indicate that the players are being held against their will by Libyan authorities, creating tension ahead of their planned Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match.
As a result, Nigeria has decided to withdraw from the crucial fixture.
The situation seems to have escalated due to claims from the Libyan media that their own national team players experienced poor treatment during their visit to Nigeria.
This accusation has added fuel to the growing tension between both football associations, as the allegations of mistreatment could be an attempt by the Libyan side to justify the current incident.
This isn’t the first time Nigerian players have faced such difficulties in Libya.
In 2022, players from Enyimba Football Club were forced to spend 24 hours at a Libyan airport when their CAF Confederation Cup opponents made a sudden venue change without prior notice.
The Enyimba squad endured a long and uncomfortable wait before any resolution was reached, highlighting a broader pattern of logistical and diplomatic challenges faced by Nigerian teams when playing away in the region.
These recent incidents are raising questions about the management of international sports relations and the need for better communication and preparation between countries hosting these high-profile matches.
Nigeria’s decision to pull out of the AFCON qualifier now places additional pressure on African football authorities to address these recurring challenges and ensure the safety and fair treatment of players during international competitions.
Nigerian player Frank Onyeka speaks on the recent match of the Super Eagles against Tunisia and shares what made the difference in our victory at AFCON 2025.
While interviewed, the player stated “I think our game plan worked really well. The way we pressed them high didn’t give them any chance to play, so that is what made the difference.”
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
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