Football In Eritrea
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Football is the most popular sport in Eritrea. After being under
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
n control,
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
gained its independence in 1991 and in 1998 the country became a member of
FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
.


History

The football in Eritrea was started during colonial times in Italian Asmara, when the
Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...
ruled the
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
. The first championship (amateur) was in 1936: the most important teams were "Gruppo Sportivo Cicero" (later '' Asmara Calcio'' and in the late 1940s renamed "GS Asmara"), "Gruppo Rionale Neghelli", "GS Zuco", "GS Melotti", "GS Ferrovieri", "GS Marina' and the "GS Decamerè". In December 1936 the first six indigenous Eritrean teams started to compete in their own league (separate from the Italian league) and the best 3 native clubs (all having Italian names) were: "Ardita", "Savoia", "Vittoria". The second championship was done in 1937 and was directly affiliated to the
Italian Football Championship Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
, as serie "D" or fourth level. It was divided in "Direttori" and Eritrea was the ''Direttorio XXIII Zona (Eritrea)''. The teams in the first Eritrean "Divisione" were: * G.S. 175ª Compagnia Radio Genio,
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
* Dop. Ala Littoria * Amba Galliano * S.S. Asmara,
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
* G.A. Cicero * Dop. Decameré * G.S. Deposito Territoriale,
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
* Dop. Coloniale Eritreo Duca di Bergamo,
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
* Dopolavoro Ferroviario * Gioventu Universitaria Fascista * Dopolavoro O.C.R.A.E. * Dop. Postelegrafonico,
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
The 1937 teams in the second Eritrean "Divisione" (amateur) were: G.S. 175ª Compagnia Radio Genio (B),
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
; Aerobase; G.S. Capronia; Dopolavoro Gondrand and Zuco. The first football stadium was built in 1938
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
during the Italian colonial period by the
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
businessman Francesco Cicero and since then it is called
Cicero Stadium Cicero Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Asmara, Eritrea. With a capacity of 10,000, it is currently used mostly for association football matches. History The stadium was built in 1938 during the Italian occupation by the Italian business ...
. It was later used by the '' GS Asmara'', the team winner of the first professional football championships in
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
with the Asmara-born
Luciano Vassalo Luciano Vassallo (15 August 1935 – 16 September 2022), also spelled Luciano Vassalo, was a footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Italian Eritrea, he played for the Ethiopia national team in the 1960s, captaining the winning team at t ...
. In the late 1940s the Asmara Calcio was renamed "GS Asmara", won the Eritrean Championship in 1945-1947-1949. Between 1953 and the
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
n full independence in 1993,
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
n teams played in the
Ethiopian Premier League The Ethiopian Premier League (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ፕሪምየር ሊግ), known as the BetKing Ethiopian Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is the top tier association football league of Ethiopia run by the Ethiopian Premier League ...
, winning that league's championship 9 times. These Eritrean team champions were "Hamassien, "Akale Guzay", "
Tele S.C. Tele SC Asmara (''Telecommunications Sport Club'' of Asmara) is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. The team -usually called "Tele S.C."- is a member of the Eritrean Football Federation national league. History Initially the club was fo ...
", " GS Asmara" and " Embassoyra": *1955: Hamassien (Asmara) *1957: Hamassien (Asmara) *1958: Akale Guzay (Eritrea) *1959:
Tele S.C. Tele SC Asmara (''Telecommunications Sport Club'' of Asmara) is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. The team -usually called "Tele S.C."- is a member of the Eritrean Football Federation national league. History Initially the club was fo ...
(Asmara) *1969:
Tele S.C. Tele SC Asmara (''Telecommunications Sport Club'' of Asmara) is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. The team -usually called "Tele S.C."- is a member of the Eritrean Football Federation national league. History Initially the club was fo ...
(Asmara) *1970:
Tele S.C. Tele SC Asmara (''Telecommunications Sport Club'' of Asmara) is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. The team -usually called "Tele S.C."- is a member of the Eritrean Football Federation national league. History Initially the club was fo ...
(Asmara) *1972: GS Asmara (Asmara) *1973: GS Asmara (Asmara) *1974: Embassoyra (Eritrea) Two of the most famous Eritrean footballers in Eritrean History football,
Luciano Vassalo Luciano Vassallo (15 August 1935 – 16 September 2022), also spelled Luciano Vassalo, was a footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Italian Eritrea, he played for the Ethiopia national team in the 1960s, captaining the winning team at t ...
and his brother Italo, played for the
Ethiopia national football team The Ethiopia national football team (Amharic: የአትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ እግር ኳስ ቡድን), nicknamed Walia, after the Walia ibex, represents Ethiopia in men's international football and is controlled by the Ethiopian Football ...
(because Eritrea was annexed to Ethiopia in those years) in the qualifying rounds for the
1962 FIFA World Cup The 1962 FIFA World Cup was the 7th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. It was held from 30 May to 17 June 1962 in Chile. The qualification rounds took place between ...
and won the
1962 African Cup of Nations The 1962 African Cup of Nations was the third edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa ( CAF). It was hosted by Ethiopia. Nine countries entered the competition, including the reigning champions Egypt, meaning for ...
(when
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
obtained their only international trophy to date). After being under
Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
n control,
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
gained its independence in 1991-1993. In 1998 the country became a member of
FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
. Since 1996 the
Eritrean National Football Federation The Eritrean National Football Federation (E.N.F.F.) () is the governing body of Association football, football in Eritrea. History The ENFF was founded in 1996 and affiliated to FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1998. It o ...
organizes the
Eritrean Premier League The Eritrean Premier League is the highest division in football in Eritrea. The league's first season ended in 1994. Between 1953 and the Eritrean independence in 1993, Eritrean teams played in the Ethiopian Premier League, winning that league' ...
and the
Eritrea national football team The Eritrea national football team represents Eritrea in men's international association football, football and it is controlled by the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF). It is nicknamed the ''Red Sea Boys''. It has never qualified ...
. Most of the Eritrean Championships have been won by
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(12 times) and by
Adulis Club Adulis Club is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements * Eritrean Premier League: 3 ::1996, 2004, 2006 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the Tota ...
(3 times). In recent years -because of dire economic and socio-political reasons- there have been many
refugee A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
s leaving Eritrea and some football athletes travelling to competitions abroad have taken the opportunity to abscond. Indeed nine players and the national Eritrean team's coach disappeared in
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
in December 2013. Furthermore, in
2018 World Cup qualification The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams which would play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts. All 210 ...
10 players from the Eritrean football team have refused to return home after playing a World Cup qualifying match in
Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...
and have been granted asylum there.


List of champions in Eritrean football

* 1995:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 1996:
Adulis Club Adulis Club is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements * Eritrean Premier League: 3 ::1996, 2004, 2006 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the Tota ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 1997:
FC Al Tahrir Football Club Al Tahrir is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements *Eritrean Premier League: 2 ::1997, 2007 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League: 1 appearance ::2008 – First Round Current squad ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 1998:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 1999:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2000:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2001:
Hintsa FC Hintsa is a football club based in Asmara, Eritrea. Achievements *Eritrean Premier League: 1 ::2001 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies CAF Cha ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2002:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2003: Anseba S.C. ( Keren) * 2004:
Adulis Club Adulis Club is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements * Eritrean Premier League: 3 ::1996, 2004, 2006 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the Tota ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2005:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2006:
Adulis Club Adulis Club is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements * Eritrean Premier League: 3 ::1996, 2004, 2006 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League The CAF Champions League, known for sponsorship purposes as the Tota ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2007:
FC Al Tahrir Football Club Al Tahrir is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara. Achievements *Eritrean Premier League: 2 ::1997, 2007 Performance in CAF competitions *CAF Champions League: 1 appearance ::2008 – First Round Current squad ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2008:
Asmara Brewery Asmara Brewery (formerly Melotti Brewery) is a brewery in Eritrea. The brewery was founded in 1938. The brewery was nationalized by the Derg during the Eritrean War of Independence. The brewery operates a football team, which plays in the Eritr ...
* 2009:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2010:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2011:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2012:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2013:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) * 2014:
Red Sea FC Red Sea Football Club is an Eritrean professional football club based in Asmara. They compete in the Eritrean Premier League, the top division of Eritrean football. With 13 league titles, they are the most successful club in the country. Red Sea ...
(
Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region (Eritrea), Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the List of capital cities by altitude, sixth highest capital in the wo ...
) In 2015 and 2016 the Eritrean championship has not been done for various reasons.Historical data of Eritrean Championships since 2010
/ref>


Other clubs

* FC Haben


Football stadiums in Eritrea


See also

*
Eritrean Premier League The Eritrean Premier League is the highest division in football in Eritrea. The league's first season ended in 1994. Between 1953 and the Eritrean independence in 1993, Eritrean teams played in the Ethiopian Premier League, winning that league' ...
*
Cicero Stadium Cicero Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Asmara, Eritrea. With a capacity of 10,000, it is currently used mostly for association football matches. History The stadium was built in 1938 during the Italian occupation by the Italian business ...
* GS Asmara *
Lists of stadiums The following are lists of stadiums throughout the world. Note that horse racing and motorsport venues are not included at some pages, because those are not stadiums but sports venues. Combined lists *List of stadiums by capacity * List of c ...


References

{{Eritrea italiana (Colonia Primigenia)