7 Eritrea Players Go Missing in South Africa After AFCON Qualifier
- Up to seven Eritrea national football team players reportedly disappeared in South Africa shortly after helping the team reach the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
- The incident continues a long-standing trend, with more than 60 Eritrean players reportedly seeking asylum abroad since 2009 due to conditions in Eritrea
- Meanwhile, teams including Burundi national football team, Ethiopia, and Somalia advanced to the next qualification stage
Seven players from the Eritrean football squad that recorded a historic victory in Eswatini last week in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations have reportedly failed to return home.
While some of their teammates flew back from Eswatini's neighbour, South Africa, the seven are said to have absconded.
Source: Twitter
Why Eritrean players often defect
There have been multiple instances in recent years where Eritrean athletes across different sports have failed to return home after international competitions.
Human rights organisations have described the government in Asmara as highly repressive, a claim the authorities strongly deny.
Despite the country’s relatively small population, hundreds of thousands of Eritreans have sought asylum abroad.
The latest reports of players disappearing deal a significant blow to the Eritrea national football team, who had been celebrating a long-awaited return to the AFCON qualifying group stage after a 2-1 win in Eswatini and a 4-1 aggregate victory, their first such progress in 19 years.
Of the 24-man squad, only 10 players were based in Eritrea, with South African outlet IOL reporting that just three of them, including captain Ablelom Teklezghi, have since returned home.
While their exact whereabouts remain unclear, reports suggest that some of the missing players were spotted in South Africa.
Among those believed to have absconded are goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and experienced winger Medhanie Redie.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that the spokesperson for Eritrea Sport and Culture Commission, who has been sharing updates on the team’s recent achievements, posted images of some returning players and staff in Egypt, where the Eritrean embassy and local community members organised a reception.
The group made a stop in Cairo during their journey back to Eritrea.
Source: Twitter
Meanwhile, African sports journalist Micky Junior reports that the seven Eritrean players who did not return home were allegedly lured by promises of opportunities abroad.
He claims an agent assured them of securing club contracts and offering a chance to improve their living conditions.
Other 2027 AFCON qualifying results
Elsewhere in the preliminary round, Burundi national football team defeated Chad national football team 8-0 on aggregate, while Ethiopia national football team overcame Sao Tome and Principe national football team 4-0.
Somalia national football team progressed with a 1-0 win over Mauritius national football team, and South Sudan national football team beat Djibouti national football team 4-1. Meanwhile, Lesotho national football team edged Seychelles national football team 2-1.
The six victorious teams now advance to join 42 higher-ranked nations in the next stage of qualification for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Morocco confident on winning AFCON case
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Morocco is confident CAS will confirm them as the rightful winners of the 2025 AFCON.
The country's FA president, Fouzi Lekjaa, says official reports, video evidence, and CAF rules all support their claim.
Source: YEN.com.gh
