Eritrea, who South Africa are due to play at the end of the month in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, look as if they are going ahead with competing despite seven of their players defecting during their last away trip.
They have named their squad to take on Kenya away on 26 September and Bafana Bafana in Cairo four days later but picked mostly foreign-based players from their diaspora.
The Red Sea state has heavy restrictions on its citizens’ movements and soccer players have used the rare opportunity of international travel to consistently defect while on away trips.
This led to Eritrea not competing in any international football for more than six years before entering the preliminaries for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals and surprisingly beating Eswatini over two legs in March in their preliminary round tie to qualify for the group phase, where they share Group D with Guinea, Kenya and South Africa.
Seven players defected after the away tie in Eswatini, making it likely that Eritrea might withdraw from the group phase but they now look to be going ahead as they have searched across the globe for players with Eritrean connections.
Only three of 30 players called up are Eritrean-based with the other 27 from clubs in 13 different countries. A total of 14 have been called up for the first time.
Hammarby midfielder Tesfaldet Tekie, who has a senior cap for Sweden, is among those called up. He was previously called up in March but then did not travel for the two-legged tie against Eswatini.
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Malik Abdurahman (Avesta AIK, Sweden), Yoel Kebreab (GS United, Canada), Yonathan Sultan (Green Gully, Australia)
DEFENDERS: Jamal Ali (Preston Lions, Australia), Hennos Asmelash (Milsami, Moldova), Mussie Beraky (FC Giessen, Germany), Matteo Borsoi (Perugia, Italy), Namrud Embaye (Wurzburger Kickers, Germany), Victor Fors (Kongsvinger, Norway), Jonas Idris (Fremad Amager, Norway), Jozef Misghina (De Graafschap, Netherlands), Yonatan Sebhatu (SD Raiders, Australia)
MIDFIELDERS: Yoel Gerezgiher (FC Giessen, Germany), Nahom Netabay (Degerfors, Sweden), Nahom Tadese (Denden), Tesfaldet Tekie (Hammarby, Sweden), Ablelom Teklezghi (Red Sea), Yoel Yilma (TSV Wiesbaden, Germany), Yonael Yonas (Maroon FC, Uganda)
FORWARDS: Romel Abou (Denden), Awet Alemseged (Grorud IL, Norway), Siem Eyob-Abraha (Sheffield United, England), Nobel Gebrezgi (Ise FC, United Arab Emirates), Filmon Gerezgiher (SV Elversberg, Germany), Oliver Hintsa (Dinamo Bucharest, Romania), Fahmi Ibrahim (Cebu FC, Philippines), Awed Isaac (FCV Fernwald, Germany), Maill Lundgren (Ranheim, Norway), Ali Suleiman (Al Masry, Egypt), Esrom Yohannes (SAIT Trojans, Canada).