CAF President demands ‘respect’ for visiting teams in African football

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has called for better treatment of visiting football teams in Africa, emphasizing “zero tolerance” for unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Speaking at the 46th Ordinary General Assembly of CAF, Motsepe highlighted recent incidents, including Nigeria’s poor treatment in Libya during their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier.

Motsepe stated that CAF will not tolerate situations where teams are delayed or face unnecessary issues at airports.

“The problem of the Nigerian team in Libya… I will not comment on that because there is a proper investigation going on and proper action will be taken.

“But I want to emphasize something we will not tolerate. This is something that has been going on for quite some time.

“Football club or a national team goes to a country and spend hours at the airport and they ask you for documents that does not exist.

“During COVID, they will look at your best players and say they have COVID. This lack of sportsmanship has existed and we have not taken an effective action.

“We’re proud of those nations that treat visiting national teams and clubs with the respect and dignity that they deserve,” he added.

Recall Nigeria’s Super Eagles were reportedly left stranded for over 13 hours at a Libyan airport without food or water, forcing them to cancel the match.

An official CAF statement on the situation is expected on Wednesday, with actions anticipated to address ongoing concerns about the treatment of teams across the continent.