“We will take action”: CAF President confirms consequences for Libya if guilty of charges

• CAF President Patrice Motsepe confirms an investigation into Nigeria’s AFCON qualifier against Libya following complaints of poor treatment
• Nigeria’s national team faced long delays and logistical issues during their trip to Libya, raising concerns about safety
• CAF will review regulations to ensure future matches follow fair sportsmanship standards across Africa

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has announced that a thorough investigation is ongoing regarding the controversy surrounding Nigeria’s recent AFCON qualifier against Libya. 

In his address at the 46th Ordinary General Assembly held in Addis Ababa on October 22, Motsepe mentioned the importance of sportsmanship and fairness in African football, emphasising that CAF would take action if rules were violated in the unfortunate incident. 

His remarks come after the Nigerian national team experienced significant logistical challenges during their trip to Libya, raising concerns about player’s safety and treatment.

The Nigerian squad, led by captain Troost Ekong, endured an 18-hour delay at the airport, flight redirection, and logistical issues that disrupted their preparations for the match. 

Motsepe confirmed that a proper investigation is underway and assured that CAF would take appropriate action, 

“It’s because when there was this problem with the Nigerian national team in Libya, and I will not comment on that, because there’s a proper investigation. But I want to emphasise a principle that we will not tolerate because this is something that has been going on for quite some time, your national team, let me emphasise, forget about the Nigeria and Libya situation, because that process has been properly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken,” he stated.

Motsepe highlighted CAF’s commitment to ensuring that visiting teams are treated with respect and fairness, noting that incidents like this have been a recurring issue in African football, 

“Too many stories have been told of national teams or football clubs going to a country, and they spend hours at the airport, being asked about documents that don’t exist,” he said. The CAF president called for stricter enforcement of regulations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

Motsepe also lauded the countries that prioritise sportsmanship and dignity in their treatment of visiting teams, stating, 

“We are proud of those nations that treat visiting national teams and football clubs with the respect and dignity they deserve.” 

He concluded by emphasising that CAF would not hesitate to take action if any violations of its regulations were found, 

“If there are violations of those regulations and those rules, we will take action,” he said.

More trouble for Libya as federation president resigns after Super Eagles win

Previously, TheRadar reported that Libyan football had been plunged into disarray just days before a crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier as Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, the embattled President of the Libyan Football Federation, submitted his resignation. 

His exit comes on the heels of Libya's 1-0 defeat to Nigeria on Tuesday, October 11 in a tense match during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Al-Shalmani’s resignation, which many saw as inevitable, shows deeper issues within the Libyan football leadership hierarchy.