Seven players from the Eritrea national football team have reportedly failed to return home after their side recorded a historic victory over the Eswatini national team.
A source close to the squad told the BBC on Monday that while part of the team travelled back via South Africa following the match, the seven players are believed to have absconded.
The development follows Eritrea’s 2–1 victory in Eswatini, which sealed a 4–1 aggregate win and secured their return to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group stage for the first time in 19 years.
Sources revealed that only 10 members of the 24-man squad were based in Eritrea, and just three of them—including team captain Ablelom Teklezghi—have made it back to the country.
Although the exact whereabouts of the missing players remain unknown, there are indications that some of them may still be in South Africa. Goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and experienced winger Medhanie Redie are among those yet to return.
The incident has overshadowed what was initially a major achievement for the team, with Eritrea’s state-owned media largely silent on their return. Plans for a reception to welcome the squad were reportedly cancelled after news of the players’ disappearance emerged.
Images released by officials showed some players and staff being received by embassy representatives and members of the Eritrean community in Cairo, Egypt, during a stopover, but only those who later travelled onward to Asmara were present.
The situation reflects a recurring pattern involving Eritrean athletes, with several past cases of players failing to return home after international competitions.
In 2019, seven players from the Eritrean under-20 team disappeared after a regional tournament in Uganda, while in 2015, 10 senior players refused to return following a World Cup qualifier in Botswana.
Earlier incidents include 15 players and a team doctor who were granted asylum in Uganda in 2013, and in 2009, nearly the entire senior team failed to return after a trip to Kenya.