Benin Republic national team allegedly attacked after AFCON Qualifier in Libya

Players and coaches of the Benin Republic national football team, the Cheetahs, have recounted their ordeal following a violent attack by Libyan security operatives and fans after their 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Tripoli.

The match, which ended in a goalless draw at the 11 June Stadium, denied Libya a spot in the upcoming tournament in Morocco. With the result, Benin Republic secured second place in Group D behind Nigeria’s Super Eagles, while Libya finished at the bottom, failing to qualify.

Disturbing videos circulating online show injured Benin team players and officials applying ice packs to wounds reportedly inflicted during the assault. The team claimed they were attacked in their dressing room by Libyan nationals.

Benin Republic striker Steve Mounie likened the ordeal to a war, emphasizing the severity of the situation. The incident has sparked outrage across social media, with calls for an investigation and possible sanctions against Libya.

He said: “It wasn’t easy. It was really a war zone. This Libyan team, this country and its supporters didn’t respect us at the start of the match. They whistled our national anthem, and we made it personal.

“We wanted to come out of this match with qualification. We did it with difficulty. Benin is at the CAN 2025. We can be proud of what we have achieved with this group of young players.”

The team coach, Gernot Rohr added: “The Libyan police took out their batons to beat us.”

In October, the Super Eagles of Nigeria accused Libyan authorities of deliberately diverting their flight to frustrate the team when they visited the country for a football match.

This left the team officials and players stranded.

The team eventually decided not to honour the 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya.

After an investigation into the incident, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded three points and three goals to Nigeria for the missed Libya game.