After years away from the continental stage, Eritrea has confirmed its participation in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, signaling the return of the Red Sea Camels.
The announcement came Tuesday from Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam, President of the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF), during an interview with Cecafaonline at the Four Seasons Hotel in Rabat, Morocco.
“We have registered to play in the qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON,” Andemariam said. “We believe we will have a strong team, with many players currently competing abroad.”
Eritrea has missed several recent AFCON and World Cup qualifiers, a period marked by controversy and internal challenges.
Sources say the team abandoned the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign to prevent players from seeking political asylum abroad.
FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that all of Eritrea’s matches were cancelled just days before their first fixture against Morocco.
“This is heartbreaking,” one source said at the time. “They are killing Eritrean football. It’s not easy for players to ask for an explanation. You may even face imprisonment for protesting.”
Eritrea’s policy of mandatory lifetime military service under President Isaias Afwerki contributed to the tensions.
Despite this, Andemariam remains optimistic. “We have had positive discussions with the government and are now ready to take part in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers,” he said.
The qualifiers, starting in March 2026, will feature 21 teams competing for spots at the continental tournament.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, the 2027 AFCON co-hosts, are exempt from qualifying. Other CECAFA region teams already registered include Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Somalia.
