AFCON Qualifier: CAF Imposes New Sanctions on Libya

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed fresh sanctions on the Libya Football Federation (LFF).

The new penalties include a $20,000 fine and the requirement to play two upcoming matches behind closed doors due to a separate incident.

These latest sanctions follow Libya’s appeal against CAF’s initial decision, which awarded Nigeria three points and three goals after an airport ordeal involving the Nigerian team in Libya.

Originally, the Super Eagles were set to play Libya at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benina, Benghazi, on October 15 as part of the AFCON qualification series. However, upon landing at Al Abaq airport, the Nigerian team was held “hostage” for over 20 hours without food or drinks.

As a result, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced the Super Eagles’ withdrawal from the qualifying match and requested their return home.

CAF ruled that Libya had violated multiple regulations regarding the handling of the Nigerian team’s arrival, leading to a forfeited match and a $50,000 fine.

In response, Libya filed an appeal seeking to overturn the victory awarded to Nigeria.

While this appeal was underway, the LFF faced additional penalties. A separate Libyan team was fined $20,000 and ordered to play their next two games behind closed doors due to violent incidents during a recent match.