The Libya Football Federation (LFF) has officially appealed the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to penalize them following the canceled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Nigeria. The match, initially scheduled in Benghazi, was awarded to Nigeria by default after logistical issues forced the Super Eagles to endure a rerouted flight, over 18 hours of delays, and other complications during their trip for the return leg.
In response to these events, CAF awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory and imposed a $50,000 fine on Libya. CAF’s Disciplinary Board found that the LFF violated Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. According to CAF’s ruling, “The Libya Football Federation is ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000 within 60 days of notification of the present decision. All other and further motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
However, the LFF views the ruling as unfair, especially as it places Libya at the bottom of Group D in the AFCON qualifiers. According to Libyan news source Alwasat.ly, the federation has enlisted Tunisian lawyer Ali Abbas to contest CAF’s decision.
The appeal’s outcome could have substantial implications for the ongoing qualification rounds, especially for Nigeria, which now only needs a single point to secure their qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
