The Nigeria Football Federation has withdrawn the Super Eagles from Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya. This decision comes after the team was stranded for 12 hours at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya, following an unplanned mid-flight diversion from their original destination, Benghazi.
The team had arrived on Sunday but was left without support from the Libyan Football Federation, which did not provide transportation, according to The PUNCH. Al Abraq, a small airport mainly used for hajj operations, was not equipped to assist the stranded delegation.
In a statement on Monday, the NFF detailed the chaotic situation, explaining that the team remained at the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away.
The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport,”
the NFF stated.
