Seven members of the Eritrea national football team reportedly failed to return home following their 2–1 away win over Eswatini in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, marking Eritrea’s first qualification for the group stage in 19 years.
Only 10 of 24 squad members were Eritrea-based, and just three—including captain Ablelom Teklezghi—have returned. Missing players include goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and winger Medhanie Redie, with some believed to remain in South Africa.
The incident echoes previous cases of Eritrean athletes absconding after international competitions, with similar occurrences reported in Uganda, Botswana, and Kenya over the last decade.
