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The Nigeria national football team were recently left stranded in a Libyan airport for 16 hours, but several other African teams have faced similar challenges that hindered their ability to compete effectively.
The football world has been left reeling after images emerged of Nigeria's national team, the Super Eagles, stranded for hours at an airport in Libya. Scheduled to face Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday, the match has now been scrapped as Nigeria cut their trip short due to the deplorable treatment they received.
Initially set to land in Benghazi on Sunday, the Super Eagles' flight was diverted to Al Abraq, approximately 230 kilometers away from their intended destination.
A Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) official expressed outrage in a statement to the BBC, claiming the team was “completely abandoned” and even locked inside the airport terminal after attempts to leave.
Unfortunately, Nigeria's plight is not an isolated incident; several other African teams have faced similar challenges that hindered their ability to compete effectively. Pulse Sports Kenya highlights four notable instances where teams encountered significant obstacles leading up to crucial matches.
Gabon Airport crisis: A night on the floor
In 2020, former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his Gabon teammates faced a humiliating ordeal when they were forced to spend the night on the airport floor prior to an essential Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia.
Due to an administrative issue, they were not permitted to leave the airport, leading to an uncomfortable night spent on the cold floor, only to be allowed to depart after government intervention the following morning.
While Gabon’s football federation shared images of the incident, Aubameyang took to Twitter to voice his frustration with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), stating, “Nice job CAF, it’s as if we were back in the 1990s.”
Despite the challenging circumstances, Gabon managed to qualify for the 2021 tournament held in Cameroon, even though they lost the match against Gambia 2-1.
Harambee Stars' disarray in Nigeria (2013)
Kenya's Harambee Stars encountered a hostile welcome during their 2014 World Cup qualifier against Nigeria in March 2013.
After arriving in Lagos, the team was supposed to connect to Calabar for the match but found their promised chartered flight had left without them. Instead, they were met by a confused bus driver who didn't know their destination.
Forced to stay in a ‘substandard hotel’ near a nightclub and without a proper training venue, the team struggled to prepare for the match. The situation was so dire that coach Adel Amrouche had his players train on a dusty surface near a primary school.
Despite these setbacks, Kenya put up a gallant fight, earning a 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles, with players like Dennis Oliech and Victor Wanyama vowing to use their frustrating experience as motivation.
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05:00 - 16.10.2024
Training on dusty surface, food full of pepper & poor accommodation... When Harambee Stars faced ill treatment in Nigeria
The football world has been outraged by the ill treatment of Nigeria players in Libya but the incident has revived memories of the poor reception Harambee Stars were subjected to by Nigerians in 2013.
Kenya's chaotic journey to Cape Verde (2015)
To qualify for the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Kenya needed to win against Cape Verde but faced severe travel issues back in November 2015.
Stars needed to win against Cape Verde to stand a chance of qualifying for the second round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, having led 1-0 during the first leg held at the Nyayo Stadium.
A chartered plane was arranged, but it made four stops—first in Entebbe, then in Kano, and finally in Dakar—before reaching Praia, Cape Verde. This caused a public outcry among Kenyans, who were dismayed by the logistical chaos. Wanga noted that they only arrived 45 minutes before the match, leading to a rushed and unfocused performance on the field.
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16:10 - 15.10.2024
Hat-trick hero Aldrine Kibet shines as Rising Stars thrash Sudan to storm into CECAFA U-20 AFCON semis
Aldrine Kibet scored a hat-trick with Kevin Wangaya netting his fourth goal of the tournament, as Salim Babu's charges cruised to an easy 4-0 win.
“The team could not travel because the tickets had not been paid for. They had to look for a chartered plane to accommodate us. The plane had to fly to four different countries because of fuel refilling,” Wanga told Iko Nini podcast in 2023.
“These are things that have always affected the national team. Cape Verde is a team we should have beaten, but we only arrived to play just 45 minutes before the fixture and then had to drive another 45 minutes to the stadium!”
Togo's tragic bus attack (2010)
Perhaps one of the most harrowing incidents in African football history occurred in 2010 when Togo's national team was attacked while en route to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
The team, which had been in high spirits following their return to the tournament after missing the 2008 edition, was ambushed by gunmen. The attack resulted in the death of the bus driver and injuries to nine others, including two players.
Despite the tragedy, some Togolese players expressed their desire to compete in the tournament to honor those who lost their lives. However, the Togolese government ultimately decided to withdraw the team from the competition due to security concerns. As a result, Togo was officially disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations.
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