MBABANE – Eswatini’s hopes of featuring at the Africa Cup of Nations have come to an early end, leaving the Sihlangu Semnikati watching from the sidelines as the road to the continental showpiece continues.
The national team will not be part of the latest round of AFCON qualifying action after its campaign came to an end following elimination in the preliminary stages.
Sihlangu’s absence comes as other teams in the region continue their battle for places at Africa’s premier football tournament, turning the qualifying campaign into another reminder of the gulf that Eswatini must bridge if it is to consistently compete on the continental stage.
For the players and technical team, the early exit represents another setback for a national side that has struggled to turn promising performances into qualification for major tournaments.
The elimination has also left the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) with the task of finding a permanent head coach as preparations for the next phase of international football continue.
Sihlangu are currently without a permanent head coach following the departure of interim coach Sifiso Ntibane in April after the team’s AFCON preliminary-round elimination.
Among the coaches who have reportedly applied for the vacant position is Belgian tactician Luc Eymael, with the EFA still in the process of identifying the man who will lead the national team into its next campaign.
With AFCON qualification now beyond reach, attention shifts towards rebuilding the national team and creating a stronger foundation for future international assignments.
The challenge will be to ensure that the disappointment of another failed qualification campaign becomes a turning point rather than another chapter in a familiar story.
For now, the continental race moves on without Eswatini.
The Sihlangu will have to watch from home as the rest of the region fights for AFCON glory, while the national football authorities work on a plan to restore the team to the continent’s biggest stage.
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