Libya national football team

Libya

Nickname(s)	فُرْسَانُ الْمُتَوَّسِط (Fursan al-Mutawasit) (The Mediterranean Knights)
Association	Libyan Football Federation
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	UNAF (North Africa)
Head coach	Nasser Al-Hadhirinew
Captain	Faisal Al Badri
Most caps	Ahmed Saad Osman (74)
Top scorer	Ali Al-Biski (35)
Home stadium	Tripoli Stadium
FIFA code	LBY
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	122 1 (24 October 2024)[1]
Highest	36 (September 2012)
Lowest	187 (July 1997)
First international
Libya 5–2 Palestine  (Alexandria, Egypt; 3 August 1953)
Biggest win
Libya 21–0 Muscat and Oman (Baghdad, Iraq; 6 April 1966)
Biggest defeat
Egypt 10–2 Libya  (Alexandria, Egypt; 6 August 1953)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	3 (first in 1982)
Best result	Runner-up (1982)
Medal record Men's Football Africa Cup of Nations 1982 Libya African Nations Championship 2014 South Africa Mediterranean Games 2005 Almería 2009 Pescara

The Libya national football team (Arabic: منتخب لِيْبيَا لِكُرَّةُ الْقَدَم) represents Libya in men's international association football and it is controlled by the Libyan Football Federation. The team has never qualified for FIFA World Cup but has qualified for editions of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982, 2006, and 2012. In 1982, the team was both the host and runner-up. In the Arab Cup, Libya finished second in 1964 and 2012, and third in 1966. The team is affiliated with both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Due to political circumstances, Libya has typically been less successful in international competition compared to other North African teams like Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia. Libya has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and its participation in AFCON is sporadic, having only qualified for three AFCON editions.

Since the 2010s, Libya's global ranking has improved due to the increasing number of Libyan players playing in foreign leagues. In the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the team recorded their first-ever win in the tournament outside Libya. Their FIFA world ranking rose to a high of 36 in September 2012; Libya then won a gold medal in the 2014 African Nations Championship. However, the Libyan Civil War caused the stoppage of the Libyan Premier League and severely disrupted domestic affairs. Libya was eliminated in the first round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification by Rwanda and failed to qualify for the 2016 African Nations Championship as the defending champions.