Eritrea is set to return to competitive international football on Wednesday after an 18-year hiatus from the Africa Cup of Nations, facing Eswatini in a 2027 preliminary qualifier hosted in Morocco.
Eritrea will conclude nearly two decades of Africa Cup of Nations isolation on Wednesday when they face Eswatini in Meknes, Morocco.
The “Red Sea Camels” have not participated in the tournament’s qualifying stages since 2008.
ENFF President Paulos Andemariam confirmed the return following government discussions, stating, “I believe we will have a strong team, including many Eritreans playing outside Africa,” as they target the 2027 finals.
New head coach Hesham Yakan leads a 24-man squad featuring international talent from leagues in Europe and Australia, including Sheffield United’s Siem Eyob-Abraha.
Despite the lack of recent match practice—their last competitive outing was seven years ago—Eritrea hopes to overcome 159th-ranked Eswatini.
Yakan expressed high confidence in his frontline, specifically praising striker Ali Sulieman as “a quick, left-footed striker who has been scoring regularly.”