The Libya national football team formed in 1962. The team joined FIFA in 1963 and affiliated to the Confederation of African Football in 1965. Despite recent unrest in the country, the football team has continued to play in its organised matches.
Though Libya had played football since the end of the first world war, the first recorded game was a 10-2 defeat to Egypt in 1953. The team struggled in its early years, but did manage a record 21-0 win over Muscat and Oman (now just Oman) in 1966.
Libya first entered a world cup qualifying campaign in 1970 without success. However, the team continued to improve and strengthen as the years passed. Libya was sadly forced to withdraw from the 1982 and 1990 world cups due to the country’s political situation. In between these withdrawals, Libya came within one game of reaching the 1986 world cup. Playing Morocco over two legs, Libya lost 3-1 on aggregate.
The team returned to world cup qualification in 2002 but did not progress beyond the second round. A similar performance followed in 2006.
Ranked 64th by FIFA, Libya are riding high and may be facing a drop in the near future unless they maintain their standard.
World cup 2018
Fixtures to be announced.
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