Eritrea is set to end 18 years of isolation from the Africa Cup of Nations when they face Eswatini in the first qualifying round for the 2027 tournament, marking a historic return to African football’s premier competition.
The preliminary round first leg will take place at the 20,000-seat Stade d’Honneur in the Moroccan city of Meknes, as Eritrea lacks an international-standard venue to host the match. Eswatini will stage the return leg on March 31, with the aggregate winners advancing to the group stage consisting of 12 four-nation mini-leagues from September.
Known as the Red Sea Camels, Eritrea have not played in the continent’s premier national team competition since drawing a 2008 qualifier against Swaziland. The country’s absence from nine subsequent tournaments is widely attributed to players seeking asylum when playing abroad, with the United Nations estimating that approximately 80 footballers and coaches have defected, citing political repression and lengthy military service as primary reasons.
Eritrea has been governed by President Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Speaking in Morocco before the 2025 Cup of Nations, Eritrean National Football Federation President Paulos Andemariam announced the end of isolation, stating: “After positive discussions with our government, we have registered to play in the 2027 AFCON, and I believe we will have a strong team, including many Eritreans playing outside Africa.”
The 24-man squad includes 10 locally-based players and Eritreans playing professionally in Australia, Egypt, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines and Sweden. Notably, Siem Eyob-Abraha plays for English second-tier club Sheffield United, having previously been part of the Manchester United youth squad.
Local head coach Ermias Tewelde was recently replaced by Hesham Yakan, a former defender with famed Cairo club Zamalek and part of the Egypt squad at the 1990 World Cup. Yakan rates striker Ali Sulieman, who plays in Egypt, as a key asset: “He is a quick, left-footed striker who has been scoring regularly in Egypt and also creating goals.”
A significant lack of match practice could prove challenging for Eritrea, whose last competitive international was a World Cup qualifying defeat in Namibia seven years ago. FIFA currently omits Eritrea from its national team rankings due to prolonged inactivity.
The return is particularly significant as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are set to co-host the 2027 Cup of Nations tournament, bringing the competition to East Africa and adding regional significance to Eritrea’s comeback on the continental stage.
Source: Al Jazeera, Nation Africa
