Eritrea Withdraws Team From 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Published

3 years ago

November 11, 2023

Eritrea has withdrawn its national men’s team from next week’s World Cup qualifiers, the global football governing body FIFA said, without giving further details.

The country, which has been blocked from African football competitions in the past because players would often flee while abroad, is considered among the most repressive countries on earth.

The unranked minnows were due to meet World Cup history makers Morocco in a Group E match on November 16.

“FIFA and CAF can confirm that the Eritrean National Football Federation has withdrawn from the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary competition,” FIFA said in a statement late Friday.

The group will now be contested by the five remaining teams including Zambia, Congo, Tanzania and Niger.

“All of Eritrea’s matches have been cancelled, while the rest of the match schedule for Group E remains unchanged,” FIFA said.

Both Eritrea’s men’s and women’s national football teams are not ranked on FIFA’s standing “due to not having played at least one match during the last 48 months”.

Eritrea’s last international kick of a ball was a friendly match against Sudan in January 2020, which they lost 1-0 at home.

Their most recent competitive games were in 2019 during the regional CECAFA Challenge Cup. Five footballers went missing in Uganda during the 2019 tournament, their fate is unknown to this day.

Eritreans are one of the world’s largest group of refugees, fleeing a repressive nation which restricts foreign travel and forces its citizens into indefinite military service.

In 2015 Botswana granted asylum to 10 Eritrean footballers who had refused to return home after a match against the national team.

In 2012, 18 Eritrean players claimed asylum in Uganda after a match there. Another six fled while in Angola in 2007 and 12 more did the same in Kenya in 2009.

The impoverished Horn of Africa nation has been ruled by one man, authoritarian President Isaias Afwerki since its formal declaration of independence in 1993.

It is a “one-man dictatorship” with no legislature, no independent civil society organisations and no independent judiciary, according to the Human Rights Watch.

EPL: Chelsea Set To Sanction First Summer Transfer Under Alonso

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Chelsea are set to sanction their first summer transfer under their new manager, Xabi Alonso.

According to the BBC Sport, the Blues are ‘open’ to selling Filip Jorgensen this summer after the goalkeeper indicated his desire to leave Stamford Bridge.

Jorgensen joined the Premier League west London club two seasons ago from Villarreal.

The 24-year-old shot-stopper was expected to compete for the number one position with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but he made just 11 Premier League appearances over the two seasons.

However, while the arrival of Alonso to Stamford Bridge could lead to a change in fortunes for Jorgensen, the report added that the Danish star has already expressed his desire to leave Chelsea this summer to get more regular playing game-time elsewhere.

Chelsea had blocked a potential exit for Jorgensen in the January transfer window, but the Premier League west London club are now open to a sale, with European and English clubs expected to explore a deal for the goalkeeper.

Sports

EPL: ‘Go For Alvarez’ – Paul Merson Hands Arsenal Two Signings To Make

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Arsenal legend, Paul Merson, has handed his old club two signings to make in the summer.

Merson wants Arsenal to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez and a new midfielder.

“I would get a centre forward this summer, I would go for Julian Alvarez,” Merson said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

“I am a big fan. If they could get him, I would. I still think they probably need another midfield player as well.”

Arsenal is expected to bolster its squad in the summer after winning the Premier League title ahead of Manchester City this season.

Sports

EPL: Wayne Rooney Picks Most Improved Player This Season

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, has picked the Red Devils defender Luke Shaw as the most improved player in the Premier League following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.

Speaking on his BBC podcast, Rooney said, “I think, for me, Luke Shaw. I think Luke Shaw has been the most improved player this season.

“I know he is an experienced player now, but I think his level this season has been much better than it has been in recent seasons.

“People might look at Kobbie Mainoo but I don’t think he’s improved. It was just the fact he wasn’t playing under the former manager so it wasn’t good or bad.”

Shaw enjoyed one of his most consistent seasons at Man United and started all of Man United’s Premier League games.