2027 AFCON: Eritrea v Eswatini: Who stands chance?

Eswatini national team begins the long road to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification when they face Eritrea’s Red Sea Camels in Morocco on Wednesday.

The preliminary round first leg match between Sihlangu and Red Sea Camels will take place at the Meknes-Stade d’honner de Meknès at 1800hrs Southern African time.

The Senior Men’s National Team Head Coach, Sifiso Ntibane has confirmed the final squad for to travel to Morocco for the TotalEnergies AFCON Preliminary Round Qualifier match against Eritrea to be played on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at 1400hrs GMT. pic.twitter.com/srhhPjNcHQ

— EFA (@eswatinifa) March 18, 2026

Eritrea will host Eswatini in Morocco as the former do not have a CAF-accredited stadium in their country.

Speaking ahead of the match, Sihlangu captain Lindo Mkhonta, affirmed the squad’s mental and physical readiness for the first leg tie.

“We are ready for the matches ahead. Our coaches have prepared us well, and as players, we understand what this match means for us and the nation,” he told Eswatini Football Association media.

What Eswatini captain and coach said

The skipper urged Emaswati supporters to pray for the team and patronise in large numbers the reverse fixture against Eritrea at Somhlolo National Stadium on March 31.

Eswatini caretaker coach Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane has since shared a positive update from camp, commending his players’ work ethic and attitude during training.

“The players’ dedication and discipline have shown immense commitment. Their cooperation made our preparations seamless, and we are focused on achieving a positive result,” Ntibane said.

In the opposite camp, the Red Camels coach Hesham Yakan said his charges are psyched up for the first leg match, according to international media.

“First of all, we want to progress and move from this level to the international stage. The goal is very clear: to take the Eritrean national team to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations group qualifiers. We want to enter the competition strongly, not just participate for the sake of taking part,” the Egyptian mentor said.

Key players for Eswatini and Eritrea

Mkhonta of ZESCO United in Zambia is expected to lead Eswatini from the back against Eritrea who are returning to the AFCON qualifiers after a lengthy absence.

The Eritrean forward Ali Suleiman, who’s been in outstanding form with his club in the Egyptian Premier League, has joined the Eritrea National Team in Morocco for their much-anticipated return to international football

As a key part of the squad, the prolific striker is poised… pic.twitter.com/LKrUG98CXs

— Ghideon Musa (@GhideonMusa) March 23, 2026

In the opposite camp, Egypt-based striker Ali Suleiman carries hope for Eritrea who are returning to international action for the first time in many months.

On paper, Eswatini, who are also called Sihlangu SeMnikati, are the overwhelming favourites to win the match. However, recent results show that the margin between giants and minnows in Africa is getting smaller.

Nonetheless, the two teams have met twice across all competitions with both games ending in draws.

Form in the last five matches

Eritrea have lost thrice with the remaining two games ending in goalless draws, an indicator of their defensive capabilities.

On the other hand, Sihlangu have lost four times and drawn once in the last five assignments in all competitions.

Current FIFA World Rankings

Eswatini are currently ranked 159th in the world while Eritrea are not rated at all due to their inactivity.

The overall winner between Eritrea and Eswatini will advance to the group-stage to join seeded teams.

CAF has appointed Mauritanian Moussa Diou as the referee for the match between Eritrea and Eswatini assisted by compatriots Brahim Salem H’made (Assistant Referee 1) and Adberrahmane Anne (Assistant Referee 2).

Abdel Kader M’Bareck will serve as the fourth official with Liberia’s Sekou Wieh Konneh being the match commissioner.