Super Eagles players head to Nigeria after over 16-hour delay at Libyan airport

Super Eagles players and coaches are returning to Nigeria after spending more than 16 hours at a Libyan airport.

The Super Eagles players were held at the Al Abaq airport since Sunday evening upon arrival in Libya for the second leg of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match, following their 1-0 victory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Friday.

The Nigerian team’s flight was diverted by the Libyan authorities instead of Benghazi, the location for the match.

On Monday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced the withdrawal of the Super Eagles from the qualifying match.

Reacting to the situation, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) said the flight diversion experienced by the Nigerian national team was not “intentional”.

The LFF rejected claims of “foul play or sabotage” and argued that their team faced a similar situation in Nigeria.

As of the time of this report, the Nigerian team is on their way back to the country.

Power of social media. Apparently our plane is being fueled as we speak and we should be leaving to Nigeria shortly. Thanks for everyone’s support! 🇳🇬

I REITERATE: We would NEVER treat a guest nation for a game in this way. Mistakes happen, delays happen. But never on purpose!

— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024