A big problem has come up before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Nigeria and Libya. The Nigerian football team is refusing to play after being stuck at a Libyan airport for more than 12 hours. Nigerian defender William Troost-Ekong shared the difficult situation they faced, and the captain of the Libyan team also said that his team was treated badly too.
Troost-Ekong explained that their plane was supposed to land in Benghazi, but the Libyan government suddenly canceled their permission to land for no clear reason. The plane had to land in another airport instead, and the team was left stranded at an empty airport with no phone service, food, or water for over 12 hours.
“More than 12 hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted,” Troost-Ekong said. “They locked the airport gates and left us with nothing, just to mess with us before the game.”
This has caused a lot of anger, as the Nigerian players and staff couldn’t contact anyone for help. Now, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is asking for answers and may take the issue to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Meanwhile, the captain of the Libyan team said they were also treated poorly. “We’ve suffered bad treatment too,” he said.
Fans across Africa are upset about how the match was handled. Many are showing support for the Nigerian team on social media and calling for an investigation into what happened in Libya.
“This is unacceptable,” one fan wrote. “How can players be treated like this before such an important game?”