Eight teams have now qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the latest round of qualifiers in October.
Among those advancing are Congo, Egypt, and Senegal, all sealing their place with decisive Matchday 4 victories. They’ll join Cameroon, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Angola, and Morocco in the tournament.
But the biggest story from these qualifiers wasn’t about who won or lost, but rather Nigeria’s shocking decision to forfeit their Matchday 4 fixture against Libya.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) cited “inhumane treatment” of the Super Eagles at an abandoned Libyan airport, making headlines across the continent.
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Super Eagles Held “Hostage” in Libya
Nigeria claimed a 1-0 win against Libya on Friday in Uyo, thanks to a late goal by substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
The return leg was scheduled for Tuesday in Benghazi, and everything seemed routine when the Super Eagles departed for Libya on Sunday. But the match never happened.
According to Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong, and confirmed by the pilot of their chartered flight, the team’s plane was unexpectedly diverted while descending into Benghazi.
The Libyan authorities allegedly withdrew their clearance to land at the last minute “for no reason,” forcing the plane to reroute to Al Abraq International Airport, located 230 kilometres from Benghazi.
Once on the ground, the team attempted to make the three-hour journey by road, but things took a bizarre turn. Troost-Ekong revealed that the Nigerian squad was trapped at the airport for over 17 hours, unable to leave.
“They’ve locked the airport gates, cut off phone connections, and left us with no food or water – all part of mind games,” Troost-Ekong wrote in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), sharing photos of teammates sleeping on airport seats.
“I’ve seen some crazy stuff playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful.”
With safety concerns mounting, the team decided against making the three-hour road trip to Benghazi.
“As captain, along with the team, we’ve decided we will NOT play this game,” Troost-Ekong declared.
The team’s predicament sparked outrage back in Nigeria, drawing international media attention. Even the Nigerian government got involved before the Super Eagles were eventually flown back home on Monday.
Meanwhile, the NFF lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the incident.
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Libya Denies Orchestrating the Nigeria Ordeal as CAF Investigates
CAF quickly responded, stating it had contacted both Libyan and Nigerian authorities.
In their Monday statement, they described the Nigerian team’s ordeal as “disturbing and unacceptable” and promised a thorough investigation by their disciplinary board.
CAF vowed to hold accountable anyone found to have violated their statutes and regulations.
Despite the unfolding chaos, the Libyan Football Federation stood firm, claiming they were ready to play the match with or without Nigeria and would be at the venue expecting a possible walkover if Nigeria didn’t show.
However, CAF later confirmed the match would not go ahead as planned. They did not mention any new date or location for a potential replay.
The Libyan FA later issued a statement denying any intentional foul play, stressing they held the “utmost respect” for Nigeria.
They rejected accusations of deliberate sabotage, pointing out they “faced significant challenges upon arrival in Nigeria” during the first leg.
“There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident,” it said.
“Such actions are inconsistent with our values and principles.
“We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria remain top of Group D with seven points from three games, while Libya lingers at the bottom with one point. Rwanda and Benin sit in the middle with five and six points, respectively.
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AFCON 2025 MD 3 & 4 Review: Senegal, Egypt Seal Spots as More Teams Join Morocco Party
Away from the controversy, Sadio Mane scored a late winner against Malawi, securing a 1-0 win that took Senegal to 10 points and guaranteed their qualification alongside Burkina Faso in Group L. Malawi and Burundi are out of the running, with no chance of catching up.
Egypt beat Mauritania 1-0 to lead Group C with a perfect record of four wins from four games. Botswana, on six points, seem the most likely to join them, although Cape Verde and Mauritania, both on three points, still have a fighting chance.
In Group H, DR Congo maintained their unbeaten run by defeating Tanzania 2-0, with Guinea and Tanzania vying for the remaining qualifying spot.
Five-time winners Cameroon also booked their place after a 1-0 win over Kenya in Group J, thanks to Boris Enow’s free kick. Zimbabwe beat Namibia 3-1 to secure second place for now, setting up a tense finish as both sides prepare to face off next month.
Algeria continued their perfect run in Group E, beating Togo 1-0 via a Ramy Bensebaini penalty. Equatorial Guinea are likely to claim the second qualifying ticket after edging Liberia 2-1, giving them a comfortable lead over third-placed Togo.
In Group F, Zizi’s first-minute goal was enough to hand Angola a 1-0 victory in Niger and secure their spot in Morocco, while Group A remains wide open, with Tunisia, Comoros, and Gambia separated by just two points.
Meanwhile, holders Ivory Coast fell to a surprising 1-0 defeat to Sierra Leone. However, the Elephants remain in a solid position atop Group G with nine points.
In Group I, Mozambique beat Eswatini 3-0 to go top but level on eight points with Mali who held Guinea to a goalless draw. The Mambas and the Eagles will clash in November for a spot in Morroco.
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Ghana’s AFCON Hopes in Peril
Ghana’s journey to AFCON 2025 is hanging by a thread after they failed to pick up a win in either of their encounters with Sudan in this qualifying round.
Sudan held the Black Stars to a goalless draw in Accra before Ghana fell 2-0 away in Benghazi, where Ahmed Al-Tash’s scrappy goal and Mohamed Abdelrahman’s strike sealed the defeat.
The four-time AFCON winners who have managed just two points in Group F now face a must-win match against already qualified group leaders Angola in November to keep their faint qualification hopes alive.
However, a win for Sudan over bottom side Niger will put an end to Ghana’s bid to qualify for AFCON 2025.
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What’s Next?
The final two rounds of AFCON 2025 qualifiers are set for November, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the tournament.