Seven players from the Eritrea national football team have gone missing following their AFCON qualifying victory over Eswatini, sparking renewed concerns around player welfare and migration.
Head coach Hesham Yakan confirmed that the players—mostly substitutes—disappeared after the second leg of the tie on March 31. Eritrea had secured a 4-1 aggregate win, following a 2-0 first-leg victory played in Morocco and a 2-1 triumph in Eswatini.
Yakan suggested the players are unlikely to continue their football careers, believing they may instead pursue better economic opportunities abroad.
The incident adds to a troubling pattern involving Eritrean teams. The country only recently returned to international qualifiers after years of absence, previously restricting travel following a similar case in 2019 when players sought refuge in Uganda.
An Eritrean exile and activist, George Ghebreslassie, confirmed the disappearances, stating that such incidents are common and reflect ongoing hardships in the country.
Sources close to the team indicated the move was driven by economic struggles, with many players seeking improved living conditions rather than continuing their football careers.
The situation has once again highlighted the broader socio-political challenges surrounding Eritrean football, as well as the intersection between sport, migration, and human rights.
