Eritrea ends 18-year AFCON absence as they face Eswatini in 2027 qualifier

Eritrea will conclude an 18-year absence from the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday, hosting Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in the first leg of the 2027 tournament qualifier. The match will take place at the 20,000-seat Stade d’Honneur in Meknes, Morocco, as Eritrea currently lacks a venue that meets international standards.

The return leg is scheduled for March 31 in Eswatini, with the aggregate winner advancing to the group stage, which will feature 12 mini-leagues of four nations each beginning in September.

Known as the Red Sea Camels, Eritrea last featured in the continent’s premier tournament during a 2008 qualifier in Swaziland. Officials have not publicly explained the nation’s subsequent nine absences, though defections of players while competing abroad are widely believed to be a key factor.

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The United Nations estimates that around 80 Eritrean footballers and coaches have sought asylum, citing political repression and compulsory military service as primary reasons. Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has been ruled by President Isaias Afwerki, whose government is consistently described by human rights organisations as highly repressive.

Speaking in Morocco ahead of the 2025 Cup of Nations, Eritrean National Football Federation President Paulos Andemariam confirmed the country’s return as quoted by Aljazera

He said,

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Local coach Ermias Tewelde has been replaced by Hesham Yakan, a former defender with Egypt’s Zamalek club and member of the national squad at the 1990 World Cup.

The 24-man squad comprises 10 domestic players and 14 Eritreans competing internationally in Australia, Egypt, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, and Sweden.

Notable players include Siem Eyob-Abraha of English Championship club Sheffield United, formerly in Manchester United’s youth system, and striker Ali Sulieman, who plays in Egypt. Both are expected to start against Eswatini. Yakan praised Sulieman as “a quick, left-footed striker who has been scoring regularly in Egypt and also creating goals.”

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Eritrea faces a significant challenge in match readiness. Their last competitive fixture was a World Cup qualifying defeat in Namibia seven years ago, an inactivity that led FIFA to exclude them from the national team rankings. In contrast, Eswatini is currently ranked 46th in Africa and 159th globally.

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Eswatini, led by coach Sifiso Ntibane—who replaced Croatian Zdravko Logarusic after finishing last in the 2026 World Cup qualifying group with only three points from 10 games—has selected 13 local players and seven based in South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This will be their third encounter with Eritrea; the previous two 2008 AFCON qualifiers ended goalless.

Alongside Eritrea vs Eswatini, five other preliminary ties are affected by stadium limitations. Djibouti, Seychelles, Lesotho, and São Tomé and Príncipe cannot host matches at home, while security concerns have forced Somalia to relocate its first-leg tie against Mauritius to Maputo, Mozambique.

Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are set to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with specific dates yet to be announced.