Eritrean football players seek asylum in Eswatini after Cup of Nations qualifier

Seven players and officials from an Eritrean football team are seeking asylum in Eswatini after a match last month. The team played Eswatini on March 31 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. Following the game, several members of the 24-person squad reportedly fled. Only three of the ten locally-based players returned to Eritrea, despite their scheduled return route via South Africa and Egypt. Police and officials confirmed on Sunday that seven team members remain in Eswatini and have applied for asylum. Deputy Police Communications Officer Nosipho Mnguni stated that three players and four officials presented themselves at the Lobamba police station, which is the initial step for asylum seekers. The Refugee Commissioner's office has received written asylum applications from the seven Eritrean nationals. An official from the Eswatini Football Association EFA indicated that the seven are being housed at a sports facility in Lobamba, approximately 15 kilometers from the capital, Mbabane. Some are receiving assistance from relatives who are also submitting asylum requests. A journalist who covered the match reported that players expressed their intention not to return home due to fears of military conscription. The United Nations estimates that around 80 Eritreans involved in football, including players, coaches, and officials, have left the East African country over the past two decades.