The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear Libya’s appeal later this month against a Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling that awarded Nigeria’s Super Eagles three points and fined Libya $50,000.
The contentious decision stems from an incident last month during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where Nigeria’s delegation was reportedly held hostage for over 20 hours in Libya.
CAF ruled that Libya had violated rules governing the treatment of visiting teams, prompting them to award the match to the Super Eagles as a 3-0 victory.
The ruling has had a significant impact on Group D standings. Nigeria now leads with 11 points, securing their qualification for AFCON 2025 ahead of today’s final qualifier against Rwanda in Uyo.
Meanwhile, Libya sits at the bottom of the table with just four points and will face second-placed Benin in Tripoli in their final group game.
Libya’s football authorities argue that CAF’s ruling was excessive and unfair, prompting their appeal to CAS. A reversal of the decision could potentially reshape the group standings, though it is unlikely to affect Nigeria’s position at the top.
As the CAS hearing looms, the outcome will not only determine the fate of the disputed match but could also set a precedent for similar cases in African football.
