The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cleared Nigeria and the Super Eagles of any wrongdoing during the recently concluded qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Super Eagles, led by head coach Austin Eguavoen, topped Group D, which included Libya, Benin, and Rwanda, showcasing impressive performances throughout the qualifiers. CAF’s investigation into the series found no infractions committed by the Nigerian team or its players.
However, the CAF Disciplinary Board has imposed sanctions on Libya, Benin, and Equatorial Guinea for various breaches of the CAF Disciplinary Code during the qualifiers.
Libya faced charges of misconduct stemming from incidents during their match against Benin in Benghazi on November 18, 2024. The Libyan Football Federation was found guilty of violating Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code due to the unruly behaviour of supporters and officials during and after the game. As a result, Libya was ordered to play its next two official national team matches behind closed doors and fined USD 50,000.
The Beninese Football Federation was penalized for non-collaboration with the CAF Disciplinary Board during their fixture against Rwanda, in violation of Article 45 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
They received a USD 5,000 fine for this infraction. Additionally, a separate USD 50,000 fine, with USD 25,000 suspended, was imposed for the misconduct of officials following the match.
Equatorial Guinea was charged with failing to provide adequate security during their match against Togo on November 14, 2024, in Malabo. This breach, which allowed supporters to invade the pitch, led to a USD 5,000 fine and a suspended USD 25,000 sanction. These disciplinary measures were outlined in a statement released on CAF’s official website.
With the qualifiers concluded, Nigeria will now shift focus to preparations for the 2025 AFCON tournament, aiming to build on their strong performances in the group stage. Meanwhile, the sanctioned nations will have to address their shortcomings as they move forward in continental football.
