Eritrea are back in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying after an absence of nearly two decades. The country had not appeared in a qualifier since 2008.

Drawn against Eswatini in the preliminary round, Eritrea won the first leg 2-0 and the return leg 2-1 on 31 March 2026, going through 4-1 on aggregate.

Siem Eyob-Abraha and Ali Suleiman scored in the first leg. Suleiman struck twice in the second, in the 50th and 59th minutes, with Eswatini replying through Justice Figuareido in stoppage time.

Eritrea have no stadium of international standard, so the home leg was played in Meknes, Morocco. The squad combines ten home-based players with diaspora players drawn from eight countries, among them Sheffield United midfielder Siem Eyob-Abraha.