Seven Eritrean Footballers Vanish in South Africa, Presumed to Defect

Seven players from the Eritrean national football team have gone missing in South Africa. Their disappearance occurred after they played a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Eswatini. The Eritrean squad originally comprised 24 players for the AFCON qualifiers, with only ten being local Eritrean athletes. Of these ten, only three are reported to have returned to their home country.

It is widely believed that these players defected while traveling from Eswatini (a small nation nestled within South Africa's borders) to South Africa. The United Nations estimates that approximately 80 Eritrean players, coaches, or officials have sought defection over the past two decades when traveling abroad for football matches.

Eritrea, a small East African country bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti, and the Red Sea, faces significant challenges. It is recognized as one of the world's least developed nations and has one of the poorest human rights records. The country has been under the rule of Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993.

Despite these challenges, the Eritrean team achieved a significant sporting victory. Ranked 184th (out of 211) by FIFA, Eritrea defeated Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate in their two-leg knockout tie, securing a coveted spot in the group stage for the 2027 AFCON tournament. Notably, 14 of the 24 squad members were foreign-based players, hailing from countries like Australia, Egypt, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, and Sweden. Ali Suleiman, who plays for Egypt's Ismailia Electricity Club, scored three of Eritrea's four goals. A point of interest is that Eritrea hosts its 'home' matches in Morocco due to the absence of an international-standard stadium within its own borders.