Eritrea has withdrawn from the 2026 World Cup qualification according to reports coming from Eastern Africa.
Eritrea is in Group E alongside Morocco, Tanzania, Congo, Niger and Zambia.
The Red Sea Boys were due to play Morocco (away) and Congo (home) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November.
Per Radio Erena reports, the reason for their withdrawal is because the authorities fear that the players will flee and request political asylum elsewhere.
They have not played any official match since losing 3-0 in December 2019 against Uganda in the finals of the CECAFA Championship.
They withdrew from the 2023 AFCON qualifiers. There is no league in the country since 2019.
A dozen members of Eritrea’s national football squad disappeared in Kenya during the 2019 annual CECAFA Cup.
Eritrea FA and CAF are yet to confirm the news.
