Eritrea advance after 19-year absence from Afcon qualifying
Eritrea are one of six nations to reach the group stage of qualification for Afcon 2027, having played their first games in the competition since 2007.
Eritrea's last competitive match had been in September 2019 when they lost to Namibia in a qualifier for the 2022 World Cup [ENFF] Eritrea have reached the main group stage of Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying following a 19-year absence. They beat Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round ahead of next year's tournament in East Africa. Forward Ali Sulieman, who plays for Kahrabaa Ismaila in the Egyptian top flight, was the hero with three goals across the two legs.
Without a stadium approved for international football, the Red Sea Camels were forced to play their home fixture in Morocco last Wednesday, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Sulieman and fellow forward Siem Eyob-Abraha, who plays for Sheffield United in England's second tier and is a former Manchester United youth player. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory in Eswatini, with the home side only grabbing their consolation in the 96th minute. Ranked 184th in the world by Fifa, with only four African nations below them, Eritrea have played just a handful of games over the last six years, and last played an Afcon qualifier in September 2007, ironically against Eswatini.
Burundi, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Somalia and South Sudan are the other five nations to reach qualification's group stage, which will begin in September. Afcon 2027, which will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will be the first to be staged by three co-hosts. The country that does not play international football Eritrea withdraw from 2026 World Cup qualifiers Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of preparing for war as Red Sea tensions rise Eritrea's long absence from international football Since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea have never qualified for Afcon.
They came close in their campaign for the 2008 edition, finishing second in their group, four points behind Angola but clear of Kenya and Eswatini. Since then they have either not entered qualification or withdrawn without playing a game, often causing organisers the Confederation of African Football (Caf) a headache after including the East Africans in the draw. Following a friendly against Sudan in January 2020, the men's senior team did not play another match until a friendly double-header against Niger in May last year.