Eritrean footballers missing after international match

Seven members of Eritrea national football team have reportedly failed to return home after their side’s recent victory over Eswatini, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The team had secured a significant 2–1 away win, sealing a 4–1 aggregate triumph and booking a place in the qualifying group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in nearly two decades. However, the achievement has been overshadowed by reports that several players did not make the journey back.

While part of the squad travelled home via South Africa, the missing players are believed to have remained behind. Only a small portion of the 24-man squad, most of whom were based outside Eritrea, has since returned to Asmara.

Among those who did not return are said to be goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and experienced winger Medhanie Redie. Team captain Ablelom Teklezghi is among the few home-based players confirmed to have gone back.

State media in Eritrea, which typically marks national team successes with public celebrations, has remained largely silent. Plans for a welcome reception were reportedly abandoned following news of the players’ disappearance. Images later shared by officials showed some members of the delegation stopping in Cairo, where they were received by embassy representatives and members of the Eritrean community before continuing their journey.

The incident adds to a pattern that has followed Eritrean teams competing abroad. Over the years, multiple players, and in some cases, entire squads, have chosen not to return after international assignments.

Human rights organisations have long raised concerns about conditions in Eritrea, describing the state as highly restrictive, allegations the government denies. The country has also seen a significant number of its citizens seek asylum overseas.

Similar episodes have been recorded in the past. In 2019, several members of the under-20 team went missing during a regional tournament in Uganda. In 2015, a group of senior players did not return after a World Cup qualifier in Botswana. Earlier, in 2013, more than a dozen players and staff sought asylum in Uganda, while in 2009 nearly the entire senior squad failed to return following a trip to Kenya.

For many supporters, what should have been a moment of pride for Eritrean football has instead become a reminder of a recurring and unresolved issue.