Seven players from the Eritrea national football team have failed to return home after their side secured a historic victory over Eswatini national football team.

A source close to the squad told the BBC on Monday that while part of the team travelled back via South Africa after the match, the seven players are believed to have absconded.

The development comes shortly after Eritrea’s 2–1 win in Eswatini, which secured a 4–1 aggregate victory and a return to the qualifying group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years.

Sources said only 10 members of the 24-man squad were based in Eritrea, and just three of those players—including team captain Ablelom Teklezghi—have returned to the country.

Although the whereabouts of the missing players remain unclear, reports indicate that some may have been seen in South Africa. Among those who failed to return are goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and veteran winger Medhanie Redie.

The world’s football body , FIFA, has ranked Nigeria’s Super Eagles third in Africa (behind Morocco and Senegal), and 26th globally.

In a post on FIFA’s website on Wednesday, the ranking reflects Nigeria’s strong performances in friendlies, including a 2‑1 win over Iran and a 2‑2 draw with Jordan, as well as their showing at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

In the 2025 AFCON tournament, Nigeria won five matches against Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Mozambique, and Algeria, drew with Morocco in the semi-finals, and defeated Egypt in the third-place playoff.

Other nations saw minor adjustments in the rankings.

Iran slipped from 20th to 21st following consecutive defeats, while Jordan moved up to 63rd after draws with Nigeria and Costa Rica.

Globally, France has reclaimed the number one spot after wins over Colombia and Brazil, overtaking Spain, which was held to a goalless draw by a ten-man Egypt. Argentina, England, Portugal, and Brazil round out the top six.

FirstBank, through its First@Sports initiative, is sponsoring the maiden edition of the Samuel Okwaraji Under 16 Football Championship.

The competition is a nationwide youth football tournament organised to honour the late Samuel Okwaraji, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated football legends renowned for his patriotism, discipline, and commitment to national service.

The tournament will engage secondary schools from all 36 states and the FCT, in a two-stage competition.

The first stage will feature zonal eliminations across the six geopolitical zones, followed by a national final in Abuja featuring the top 12 qualifying teams.

In a statement , the Managing Director/ CEO of FirstBank, Olusegun Alebiosu, said: “Football is the strongest unifier of Nigerians. It brings communities together, inspires discipline, and nurtures talents across the country.

FirstBank is making a deliberate incursion into grassroots football development with this sponsorship, creating an enabling environment for the next generation of Samuel Okwarajis to discover, refine, and maximise their potential, thereby shaping the future of Nigerian football.”

In his remarks, Senator Osita Izunaso, the Chairman of the Championship Organising Committee commended FirstBank for throwing its weight around the championship.