Libya have suffered a setback ahead of their crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Tunisia after LASK midfielder Daniel Al-Fadhli decided to focus on his club career rather than represent the Mediterranean Knights.
The 29-year-old, who plays for the Austrian side, has opted to concentrate on his professional commitments in Europe, including the club’s participation in continental competition, leaving Libya’s coaching staff to consider alternative options ahead of their two meetings with Tunisia during the November international break.
The decision comes as Libya prepare to announce their squad for the decisive qualifying fixtures, which could prove important to their hopes of progressing in the race for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Al-Fadhli’s decision also brings an end to the Libyan Football Federation’s lengthy efforts to secure his services for official international matches.
Why Al-Fadhli will not represent Libya
Al-Fadhli, who was born to a German mother and a Libyan father, has a complicated history with the national team because of the procedures required to change his sporting nationality.
The midfielder previously represented Libya in a friendly against Uganda in 2022 while using his German passport. At the time, he was still waiting to complete the necessary formalities, including obtaining a Libyan passport, to become eligible for official international matches.
He is regarded as the second Libyan player in history to feature in the Champions League, following compatriot Al-Mu’tasim Al-Musrati.
For more than four years, the Libyan Football Federation had worked to persuade Al-Fadhli’s family to support his change of sporting nationality. Although the Libyan authorities recently approved the issuance of his passport, the process ultimately encountered resistance within his family.
According to the information surrounding the case, his mother opposed the move because she did not want her son to give up his German nationality. The report attributes the disagreement to restrictions on dual nationality under the relevant German laws.
That obstacle has complicated Libya’s attempts to bring the midfielder into their squad for competitive international fixtures, despite the progress made towards securing the necessary documentation.
Libya forced to consider alternative options
With Al-Fadhli now choosing to concentrate on his career in Austria, he is no longer part of the immediate plans of Libya’s coaching staff, led by Senegalese coach Youssef Dabo.
His absence presents another challenge for the technical team as it prepares for the upcoming qualifiers against Tunisia.
The two matches are scheduled for the November international window, leaving the coaching staff with limited time to assess alternative players and strengthen the squad before the fixtures.
Al-Fadhli’s decision is particularly disappointing for Libya because of his experience in European football and his involvement in continental competition with LASK.
His situation also illustrates the difficulties national federations can encounter when attempting to recruit players with family connections to their countries but established careers and citizenship arrangements elsewhere.
Libya’s wider struggle to attract dual-nationality players
The case is not an isolated setback for the Libyan Football Federation, which has previously attempted to persuade other players based in European leagues to represent the country.
Efforts to recruit Al-Mughirah Kaabar, a defender with Dutch club Excelsior, and Martin Adil, a midfielder at German side Hamburg, have also failed.
These unsuccessful attempts highlight the challenges facing Libya as it seeks to strengthen its national team with players who have developed their careers in European football.
The federation’s difficulties in securing Al-Fadhli’s commitment come at a critical time, with the team preparing for two important encounters against Tunisia in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
For Dabo and his technical staff, attention must now turn to the players available for selection and the task of building a competitive squad without the LASK midfielder.
Al-Fadhli, meanwhile, is set to continue focusing on his club commitments in Austria, bringing uncertainty over his potential involvement with Libya in future international competitions.
