The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken decisive action against Libya by imposing a substantial financial penalty of $50,000 and mandating that the national team play two upcoming matches behind closed doors.

This decision comes in response to alarming incidents of misconduct by both supporters and officials during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Benin, which took place in Benghazi on November 18.

This latest infraction follows closely on the heels of another significant disciplinary action against Libya just two months prior. In October, the Libyan football authorities faced backlash for their handling of a separate AFCON qualifier against Nigeria.

Libyan officials were accused of deliberately diverting the Nigerian Super Eagles’ aircraft to a potentially unsafe airport, an act that drew widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns about the well-being of the visiting team.

In addition to Libya’s sanctions, CAF’s disciplinary committee also addressed a separate matter concerning Guinea. The committee dismissed an appeal from Guinea, which sought to have Tanzania disqualified from the upcoming 2024 AFCON.

Guinea’s complaint centred on the claim that Tanzanian substitute Ibrahim Ame wore an incorrect shirt number (26) that was not included in the official team sheet for their qualifier, leading to questions about compliance with tournament regulations.

In addition to Libya’s penalties, CAF has also handed down sanctions to other nations, including Benin and Equatorial Guinea, though the specific details regarding their punishments are yet to be disclosed.