Eritrea to end 18-year AFCON isolation by playing Eswatini in qualifier

Eritrea vs Eswatini on Wednesday will serve as the first AFCON qualifier for the east African nation since 2008.

Eritrea will end 18 years of isolation from the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday when they host Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, in the Moroccan city of Meknes in the first qualifier for the 2027 tournament.

The preliminary round first leg at the 20,000-seat Stade d’Honneur has been moved from East to North Africa because Eritrea lacks an international-standard venue.

Eswatini will stage the return match on March 31, and the aggregate winners will advance to the group stage, which will consist of 12 four-nation mini-leagues from September.

Popularly known as the Red Sea Camels, the East African country have not played in the premier African national team competition since drawing a 2008 qualifier in Swaziland.

Eritrean football officials have never explained their absence from nine subsequent Cups of Nations, but it is widely believed to be due to players seeking asylum when playing abroad.