Reaffirmed to fans that any actions infringing upon these principles would incur stringent repercussions
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals due to Libya’s disqualification from their recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match, as announced by Ousmane Kane, Chairperson of CAF’s Disciplinary Board, on Saturday.
Following investigations led by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, the Libyan Football Federation was sanctioned for inflicting inhumane treatment on Nigeria’s senior men’s football team, the Super Eagles, during their qualifier match, including lengthy airport delays and limited access to essential amenities.
The Disciplinary Board’s ruling declared the match, scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi, as forfeited by Libya. The official decision cited breaches of Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, resulting in a 3-0 victory by default for Nigeria. Alongside the forfeiture, CAF ordered the Libya Football Federation to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days.
The disciplinary committee responsible for this ruling consisted of chairperson Ousmane Kane (Senegal), vice-chairperson Njeri Onyango (Kenya), and members Felix Golbassia (Chad), Patrick Shale (Lesotho), and Norman Arendse (South Africa).
The mistreatment of the Super Eagles stirred international outcry, with diplomatic and social media interventions ultimately leading to the team’s safe departure from Libya.
This latest ruling places Nigeria in a favourable position in their qualification campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, now sitting with 10 points from four matches, four points ahead of the second-placed Benin Republic, with Rwanda at five points, and Libya, at the bottom of the group with a single point, now eliminated from qualification contention.
The Super Eagles now have a significant opportunity to secure their spot in the AFCON finals, with only a draw needed against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic on November 14 in Abidjan to book a place in the finals in Morocco, scheduled for December 2025 to January 2026.
Mr Motsepe emphasised the organisation’s commitment to ensuring fairness and sportsmanship across African football.
