FLASH NEWS
The escape of 7 players jeopardizes Eritrea's participation in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations!
2026-04-09 23:20:07 / SPORT
After a six-year absence from the international scene, Eritrea played two matches against Eswatini in March, during the preliminary round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, winning 4-1 on aggregate.
But this success could paradoxically mark the end of international matches for the West African nation. After their last match on March 31, seven players from the national team went missing.
Led by President Isaias Afwerki since its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea had not allowed its teams to travel abroad since its under-20 team players fled to Uganda in 2019.
It is estimated that around 80 footballers defected while playing for the national team abroad, fleeing the oppressive regime at home and prompting the government to ban travel.
Eritrea had not participated in the preliminary round since 2008.
The Eritrean national team, led by former Egyptian international Hesham Yakan, appointed coach just two weeks before the first match, caused a major upset by defeating Eswatini (2-0 in the first leg in Morocco, 2-1 in the return leg in Lobamba, the capital of Eswatini), thus advancing to the group stage of the qualifiers, which will bring together 42 African teams between September and November.
But the recent departure of several key players casts doubt on the country's participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, nineteen years after its last appearance in the preliminary round.
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