The Super Eagles’ Libyan Odyssey: How Not to Prepare for an AFCON Match

Picture this: You’re part of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, fresh off a victory in your AFCON qualifiers and feeling pretty good. You’ve got one more match, just a quick stop in Libya. Simple, right? Wrong! Welcome to the wild, wild world of African football travel, where things go from professional sports to “Lost” real quick.

It all started with a seemingly routine flight to Benghazi, Libya, for a critical 2025 AFCON qualifier. But instead of landing in Benghazi like everyone expected, their plane took a detour to Al Abraq International Airport—a spot famous for… well, nothing much except hajj pilgrimages. Why? Maybe because someone thought Nigerian players wanted to start a spiritual journey before a football one?

After a landing that felt more like the pilot pulling a prank, the Super Eagles were left stranded at the airport for over 15 hours. No welcoming committee, no transport, no Wi-Fi. They were basically left on a dusty Libyan runway like an episode of “Survivor: International Football Edition.” Meanwhile, the Libyan Football Federation seemed to be saying, “Hotel? What hotel?” The team had no choice but to kick off their AFCON preparations in the luxurious surroundings of Al Abraq, featuring no food, no communication, and zero logistics support​

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To top things off, the players were asked to take a three-hour bus ride from this “middle-of-nowhere” airport to the match venue in Benghazi. Now, I’m sure long bus rides sound like fun… in a road trip with snacks and tunes sort of way. But when you’re an international football team in a country with security concerns, it’s more of a “No, thank you, we’re good” vibe. Captain William Troost-Ekong quickly put his foot down, saying something along the lines of “You can keep the points, Libya. We’re out!”​

 

As if the drama wasn’t enough, there were whispers of “mind games” from the Libyan side. Troost-Ekong took to social media, venting that the Libyan government had basically locked the Super Eagles out of the airport and the hotels. Even their Tunisian pilot got better hospitality than the Nigerian crew, which is like telling your Uber driver, “Sure, you can stay, but your passengers have to sleep on the sidewalk”​

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The Libyan side wasn’t exactly sitting quietly either. Their captain, Faisal Al-Badri, had his own version of football’s Game of Thrones moments, alleging that when they visited Nigeria, they too were made to suffer. Apparently, their bags got searched so many times, you’d think they were carrying ancient artifacts, not shin guards and football boots. Al-Badri even hinted that this wasn’t the first time African football had felt like a schoolyard grudge match.

So what’s the takeaway? Well, Nigeria has officially filed a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but let’s be honest: No amount of paperwork can erase the trauma of being treated like you’re auditioning for “Castaway 2: Football Edition.” And in classic Naija fashion, some are calling for sanctions against Libya, while others are just shaking their heads, saying, “Ah, this African football, sha”​

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Moral of the Story: If you’re ever planning to play football in Libya, bring a power bank, some snacks, and perhaps reconsider your career choices. Because if you’re waiting on Benghazi, you might just end up stuck at Al Abraq, wondering how you went from football superstar to airport philosopher in under 24 hours.

Stay safe out there, Super Eagles. Next time, let’s hope the game takes place on the pitch—not in the terminal!

see pictures below