Eritrea to End 18-Year AFCON Isolation Against Eswatini

Eritrea is set to end an 18-year isolation from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by competing against Eswatini in the preliminary round for the 2027 tournament. The first leg will occur on Wednesday at the 20,000-seat Stade d'Honneur in Meknes, Morocco, due to Eritrea's lack of international-standard venues.

The return match is scheduled for March 31. The aggregate winner will advance to a group stage consisting of 12 four-nation mini-leagues in September.

Eritrean football officials attribute the long absence to players seeking asylum while playing abroad, with an estimated 80 football coaches defecting due to political repression. The Eritrean National Football Federation's president, Paulo Andemariam, announced the end of the isolation, expressing optimism about the team, which includes players from outside Africa.

The current head coach, Ermias Teweld, recently replaced Hesham Yakan. Eritrea's last competitive international match was a World Cup qualifier against Namibia seven years ago.