MBABANE – Eswatini will watch the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign from the sidelines when the group stage kicks off later this month.
Sihlangu were eliminated in the preliminary round by Eritrea, losing 4-1 on aggregate after defeats in both legs.
The disappointment means Eswatini’s long wait for a maiden AFCON finals appearance continues, while Eritrea have advanced to the group stage and now find themselves in a challenging Group D.
The Red Sea Camels will face South Africa, Guinea and Kenya in the battle for a place at the finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Eritrea’s opening assignment will be against Kenya on September 26, before facing South Africa four days later.
The qualifying action begins on September 24, with the opening two matchdays running until October 6. The next two matchdays will be played from November 9–17, with the final two rounds scheduled for March 22–30 next year.
Across the SADC region, several teams remain in contention.
South Africa are in Group D with Eritrea, Kenya and Guinea, while Zimbabwe are in Group E alongside DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Namibia face Cameroon, Comoros and Congo in Group G, while Botswana are drawn with Tunisia, Libya and Uganda in Group H.
Zambia will battle Algeria, Togo and Burundi in Group I, while Mozambique face Senegal, Sudan and Ethiopia in Group J.
Elsewhere, Angola and Malawi are in Group B with Egypt and South Sudan, while Lesotho face Morocco, Gabon and Niger in Group A.
For Eswatini, however, attention will shift entirely to watching from afar.
Sihlangu’s failure to progress means the country is once again left hoping its neighbours can fly the regional flag at the continental showpiece.
The irony will not be lost on local football followers: Eritrea, the team that ended Eswatini’s campaign, is now preparing for the very group stage Sihlangu desperately wanted to reach.
The 2027 AFCON finals will be staged from June 19 to July 17, 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda serving as co-hosts.
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