Nigeria has withdrawn from their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Libya and is returning home, according to their captain, William Troost-Ekong. The decision was made in protest after the team was diverted and left stranded for hours at an airport far from the match venue in Benghazi. The Super Eagles were scheduled to play Libya in Benghazi, aiming to secure a spot in the finals in Morocco next year. However, after being stranded for over 16 hours at an airport 250km (155 miles) away, the Nigerian players decided not to proceed with the fixture.
"As the captain, together with the team, we have decided that we will not play this game," Troost-Ekong stated on X. "Apparently our plane is being fuelled as we speak and we should be leaving to Nigeria shortly." Troost-Ekong added: "I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before."
The Nigeria Football Federation explained that the team's charter flight was diverted to Al Abraq International Airport as it approached Benghazi, with no alternative transport provided. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) stated it was in contact with authorities in both countries and would take "appropriate action" against any rule violations. The Libyan Football Federation denied any intentional wrongdoing, urging Nigeria to understand that the diversion was not deliberate and could result from routine air traffic protocols, security checks, or other logistical challenges.
Nigeria striker Victor Boniface expressed frustration, saying he had been stuck at the airport for almost 13 hours without food, wifi, or a place to sleep. "Africa, we can do better," he posted on X. The fate of the match points remains uncertain, with the issue likely to be referred to CAF’s disciplinary board. Nigeria previously defeated Libya 1-0 in the reverse fixture in Uyo, securing seven points from three games in their group. Benin has six points, Rwanda two, and Libya one. The top two teams in each group advance to the 24-team finals.
