In a decisive move, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria three points and three goals after the controversial missed qualifier match against Libya, strengthening Nigeria’s path to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. This development follows CAF President Patrice Motsepe’s commitment to a rigorous investigation into the incident, with a clear warning against unsportsmanlike behavior in African football.

On Saturday, CAF’s Disciplinary Board Chair, Ousmane Kane, announced the official ruling, explaining that the board’s decision came after an in-depth inquiry. Libya was found guilty of mistreating the Nigerian men’s national team, breaching several regulations, including Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code. Consequently, the Libya-Nigeria match, scheduled for October 15, 2024, in Benghazi, has been forfeited by Libya, granting Nigeria a 3-0 victory by default.

Beyond awarding the match to Nigeria, CAF imposed a USD 50,000 fine on the Libyan Football Federation, to be paid within 60 days. The Nigerian players and staff had reportedly faced severe hardships upon arrival in Libya, enduring hours of delay without food, internet, or sufficient accommodation, which sparked diplomatic efforts and public outcry on social media to facilitate their departure.

This decision places Nigeria in a prime position to secure their AFCON 2025 qualification. With 10 points from four games, Nigeria now sits four points ahead of Benin and five ahead of Rwanda. Libya, with only one point, is officially out of the qualification race as reported.

A win or a draw against Benin on November 14 will clinch Nigeria’s spot in the tournament finals set for Morocco in December 2025.