Seven players from Eritrea’s national football team have reportedly failed to return home following their historic victory over Eswatini last week, according to a source close to the squad.
While some members of the team travelled back via neighbouring South Africa, the seven players are believed to have absconded.
The development is not unprecedented, as there have been multiple instances in recent years of Eritrean athletes failing to return home after international competitions.
Human rights organisations have long described the government in Asmara as highly repressive—an allegation the authorities continue to deny. Despite the country’s relatively small population, large numbers of Eritreans have sought asylum abroad.
The reported disappearance of the players comes as a major setback for the team, which had been celebrating a milestone achievement. Eritrea secured a 2-1 win over Eswatini and progressed 4-1 on aggregate, marking their return to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group stage for the first time in 19 years.
Sources in Asmara indicate that only 10 members of the 24-man squad are based in Eritrea, and just three of those players—including team captain Ablelom Teklezghi—have returned so far.
Although the whereabouts of the missing players remain unclear, some reports suggest that a number of them have been sighted in South Africa.
Among those said to have absconded are goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and experienced winger Medhanie Redie.
Notably, Eritrea’s state-owned media has remained unusually silent on the team’s return—departing from past occasions that were typically marked by public celebrations and fanfare.
