Seven Eritrean Football Players Go Missing in South Africa After Historic AFCON Qualifier Win

Asmara, Eritrea Seven members of the Eritrea national football team have failed to return home following the team’s historic victory over Eswatini in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match, according to sources close to the squad.

The incident occurred after Eritrea secured a 2–1 win away in Eswatini on Saturday, completing a 4–1 aggregate victory. The result marks the first time in 19 years that Eritrea has advanced to the group stages of the AFCON qualifiers.

A source told the BBC on Monday that while part of the team travelled back via South Africa, the seven players are believed to have absconded. Their current whereabouts remain unclear, though reports suggest some may have been seen in South Africa.

According to sources, only 10 members of the 24-man squad were originally based in Eritrea. Of those, just three players including team captain Ablelom Teklezghi have returned to the country.

Among those who failed to return are goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and veteran winger Medhanie Redie.

The disappearances have cast a shadow over what was otherwise a celebrated achievement for the team. Eritrea’s state-owned media has remained largely silent on the players’ return, and plans for a reception to welcome the victorious squad were reportedly cancelled following the news.

Images shared by officials showed some players and staff being received by embassy representatives and members of the Eritrean community in Cairo, Egypt, during a stopover. However, only those who later travelled on to Asmara were present.

The situation follows a broader pattern involving Eritrean athletes. In 2019, seven players from the Eritrean under-20 team went missing after a regional tournament in Uganda.

In 2015, 10 senior players refused to return following a World Cup qualifier in Botswana. Earlier incidents include 15 players and a team doctor granted asylum in Uganda in 2013, and in 2009, nearly the entire senior team failed to return from a trip to Kenya.