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After years of self-imposed isolation, Eritrea will return to international football against Eswatini in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations preliminaries this March. The Red Sea state has not played since a 2020 friendly, previously withdrawing from qualifiers to prevent players from escaping Isaias Afwerki’s repressive regime. Since 2007, roughly 80 team members have defected during trips to countries like Angola, Kenya, and Uganda, abandoning football for freedom.
Following the 2019 Under-20 team’s defection, authorities banned foreign travel, but they now appear ready to compete again. Participation would historically mark the first time all 54 African nations entered the qualifiers. Currently unranked by FIFA due to prolonged inactivity, Eritrea faces a two-legged knockout tie. Victors advance to the group stage alongside the continent’s top-ranked nations. Successful teams will eventually join co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda at the finals, making this a truly landmark tournament for the history of African football.
