Nigeria are boycotting Africa Cup of Nations soccer qualifiers in Libya after staying at Bayda airport for 15 hours. Nigeria played their match against Libya in Benghazi, about four hours away from Bayda. The Super Eagles delegation said organizers intentionally diverted planes to disrupt travel plans. Libya similarly criticized Nigeria’s treatment when the two countries met in Uyo last Friday.
Nigeria accuses Libya of travel sabotage ahead of match
Abuse of Libyan captain Faisal al-Badri. To reach their destination, Libya had to travel in three buses without air conditioning. Nigeria’s late attacks earned them three points and maintained their lead in the qualifying group.
The two teams were scheduled to clash in Libya on Tuesday for the fourth group match. That will not happen as Nigeria left Libya after a long stay at the airport in Bayda. The Libyan Football Federation denied any wrongdoing, saying the event was related to general air traffic control protocols.
Meanwhile, Nigerians recalled the events of 2021 when club side Enyinba FC had to withdraw from the return leg of the Confederations Cup against Al Ittihad of Libya. Representatives from the Nigerian club spent more than 24 hours at the airport after the venue was changed without any notice.
African football faces unique challenges
Games in the culturally and genetically diverse African region are subject to different types of controversies. It is common for visiting teams to complain about disruptions to their travel plans. The allocation of host stadiums also changes frequently. Last week, for example, Cameroon changed the venue eight days before a crucial match against Kenya.
Along with Asia, Africa boasts the world’s largest territory and population. This usually results in various cultural differences. The continent’s economic level and dispersed geography also make it difficult for away fans to travel to support their teams.
For these reasons, home advantage becomes even more important in African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers. The problem begins with travel accommodation and safely entering the stadium. This also tends to apply to intercontinental club tournaments.
Referee assignments often face controversy with accusations of favoritism. Then an incident occurs on the field that could give the home team an unfair advantage. During the tie-break of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Senegal, Egypt experienced a horrifying penalty shootout experiment. Home fans aimed laser beams at Mohamed Salah and others to distract them.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) addressed the issue to avoid a similar situation during last year's Nations Cup competition. However, it is still commonly played in club football tournaments.
“Homeless” representative team
CAF is also keenly evaluating the facilities provided across stadiums on the continent. As a result, nearly 20 African countries are currently unable to host competitive matches.
Some countries have moved quickly to renovate stadiums in response to strict regulations. However, it could also affect the upcoming tournament with Kenya, one of the co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON and one of the teams banned from hosting international matches.
Although large stadiums continue to be built in Africa, government officials typically use them as venues for political campaigns. CAF expressed its position calling for improvements to pitch conditions and facilities.
Using the Football Cooperation Agreement, North African countries opened their doors to countries in need of arenas. Ghana and Sudan will play each other at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium on Tuesday. It’s the same arena where the Libya-Nigeria match was being held before the recent developments.
Photo: Imago
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