Eritrea will return to the African cup of Nations qualifying after an 18-year absence when they face Eswatini national football team on Wednesday in Meknes, Morocco.
The 2027 AFCON preliminary qualifiers first-leg tie will be played at the Stade d’Honneur, a neutral venue chosen because Eritrea do not have a stadium that meets international standards. The return leg is set for March 31, with the aggregate winner progressing to the group stage of the 2027 qualifiers.
Nicknamed the Red Sea Camels, Eritrea have been missing from the continent’s flagship tournament since a 2008 qualifier against Eswatini, then known as Swaziland.
No official explanation was ever offered for their prolonged absence. However, it has long been linked to a wave of defections, with players reportedly seeking asylum while on international duty.
The United Nations estimates that about 80 footballers and coaches have left the country under such circumstances, citing political repression and prolonged military service.
Eritrea has been under the leadership of Isaias Afwerki since independence in 1993, with rights groups frequently criticising his rule.
The decision to return to continental football was confirmed by federation president Paulos Andemariam ahead of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
“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,” he said.
Eritrea head into the tie under new leadership, with Hesham Yakan replacing Ermias Tewelde as coach. The former Zamalek SC defender, who featured for Egypt at the 1990 World Cup, has named a 24-man squad blending local players and foreign-based professionals.
Among them is Siem Eyob-Abraha, now at Sheffield United after coming through the youth ranks at Manchester United. He is expected to lead the attack alongside Egypt-based striker Ali Sulieman.
Yakan spoke highly of Sulieman’s qualities. “He is a quick, left-footed striker who has been scoring regularly in Egypt and also creating goals,” the coach said.
Match fitness remains a concern for Eritrea. Their last competitive fixture was a World Cup qualifying defeat to Namibia seven years ago. That long inactivity saw FIFA remove them from the global rankings.
Eswatini, ranked 46th in Africa and 159th globally, arrive with more recent experience but little success in qualifying campaigns. They have failed in all 16 previous attempts to reach the tournament.
Head coach Sifiso Ntibane, who replaced Zdravko Logarusic, has selected a mixed squad of home-based players and others drawn from leagues in southern Africa.
This will be only the third meeting between the sides. Their previous encounters, both in 2008 qualifiers, ended goalless.
Elsewhere in the preliminary round, several nations face logistical hurdles. Djibouti, Seychelles, Lesotho and Sao Tome and Principe will all play away from home due to inadequate facilities, while Somalia have moved their tie against Mauritius to Maputo over security concerns.
It was reported that the 2027, AFCON will be co_hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with dates yet to be confirmed.
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