Reports from South Africa indicate that seven players from the Eritrea national football team have gone missing after helping the country qualify for the group stage of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and are now seeking asylum.
The seven locally based players reportedly disappeared in South Africa around April 2026, refusing to return home after the 2027 AFCON qualification matches against Eswatini.
The second leg of the preliminary round qualifier was held at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Mbabane, Eswatini, on March 31, 2026, with Eritrea winning 2-1 (4-1 on aggregate) following the first leg played on March 25, 2026, in Meknes, Morocco.
"Of the 10 local players in the squad, only three returned, while seven stayed behind to seek asylum in South Africa. Ablelom Teklezgi, Nahom Tadese, and Romel Abdu are the three who boarded the plane back to Asmara," reported African football journalist Mickey Jnr. He added that the names of players seeking asylum are often not immediately released to protect their safety.
Due to poor sporting infrastructure at home, the Eritrean team, known as the Red Sea Camels and managed by Egyptian coach Hesham Yakan, played both 2027 qualifiers away from home, winning 4-1 on aggregate and marking a successful return to competitive action after an 18-year AFCON absence.
It should be noted that Eritrea is the only African FIFA member not participating in the World Cup qualifiers. The ruling regime withdrew from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to fears that players would flee and seek asylum during international travel. The Ministry of Sport and Culture refused to approve the team's participation, leading to the cancellation of all their matches.
Eritrea is governed under a totalitarian system led by President Isaias Afewerki, who has been in power since 1993.
The country operates as a one-party state under the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with extreme authoritarianism, a military-controlled economy, no elections, and severe human rights violations.
Ranked 184th by FIFA, Eritrea has now qualified for the next round of the AFCON group stages, which will begin in September 2026. Their next opponents are still unknown, as the draw for the groups, which will feature higher-ranked teams, has yet to be finalized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
