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The Eswatini national football team, nicknamed Sihlangu Semnikati (King's Shield),[4] represents Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, in international football and is controlled by the Eswatini Football Association. It has never qualified for the World Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations finals. Swaziland's best performance in an international tournament is a semi-final finish in the COSAFA Cup.
| Nickname(s) | Sihlangu Semnikati (King's Shield) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Eswatini Football Association (EFA) | |||
| Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
| Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | |||
| Captain | Mthunzi Mkhontfo | |||
| Most caps | Sabelo Ndzinisa (72) | |||
| Top scorer | Sabelo Ndzinisa (17) | |||
| Home stadium | Somhlolo National Stadium | |||
| FIFA code | SWZ | |||
| ||||
| FIFA ranking | ||||
| Current | 160  1 (24 October 2024)[1] | |||
| Highest | 88 (April–May 2017) | |||
| Lowest | 190 (September–October 2012) | |||
| First international | ||||
 Swaziland 2–0 Malawi  (Swaziland; 1 May 1968) | ||||
| Biggest win | ||||
 Djibouti 0–6 Swaziland  (Djibouti City, Djibouti; 9 October 2015) | ||||
| Biggest defeat | ||||
 Egypt 10–0 Swaziland (Alexandria, Egypt; 22 March 2013) | ||||
| COSAFA Cup | ||||
| Appearances | 19 (first in 1997) | |||
| Best result | Third place (2016, 2021)[2] Semi-finals (1999, 2002, 2003) | |||
Medal record | ||||
On 8 June 2008, they achieved their first win in a World Cup qualifier since 1992, beating 2006 finalists Togo 2–1 on home soil. The team's best recent performance came in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification where Eswatini finished second in Group L above Guinea and Malawi.
History
editBeginnings
editThe team played its first international match against Malawi, winning 2–0.[5] For the first decade, the national team only played Malawi and Zambia, failing to register a single win from 1969 until 1984, when they beat Lesotho 3–1 in a friendly at home. Following the Lesotho win, Eswatini entered the 1986 African Cup of Nations qualifiers for the first time, losing 1–8 on aggregate to Zimbabwe. The team then entered the 1987 All-Africa Games qualifiers however they lost 2–9 on aggregate against Malawi.
The first time that Eswatini progressed past the first round of a qualifying competition was for the 1990 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, beating Tanzania 3–1 on penalties after drawing the tie 2–2. In the second round they faced Malawi who knocked them out again, 1–3 after two legs. Eswatini next entered the 1990 SADCC Tournament, advancing past the group stage on goal difference ahead of Malawi, before losing to Zimbabwe on penalties (5–3) in the semi-finals following a 4–4 draw after extra-time. In the 1992 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, Eswatini beat Zambia (2–1) during the preliminary group stage but finished in third and failed to progress.
Eswatini entered the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time, but ended up in second place behind Cameroon thereby not advancing to the final round. For the 1998 World Cup first qualification round, Eswatini lost twice to Gabon (0–1 and 0–2) and were eliminated. They failed to make it past the first qualifying round for the inaugural 1997 COSAFA Cup, where they lost 0–4 to Mozambique, and in the 1998 COSAFA Cup where they lost to an own-goal in extra-time against Angola (0–1). Eswatini returned to the 2000 African Cup of Nations qualification matches after missing the previous three tournaments but they fell 2–3 against Madagascar and were eliminated. They managed to qualify for the 1999 COSAFA Cup after beating Mozambique 3–1 in the qualifiers, then beat Zimbabwe in the quarter-finals 4–3 on penalties after drawing 1–1 in regular time, with Bongani Mdluli having scored the equaliser for Eswatini in the 89th minute. In the semi-finals they lost to Namibia on penalties, 2–4.
21st century
editEswatini were eliminated by Angola in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, losing 1–8 on aggregate. They then lost to Kenya in the 2002 African Cup of Nations qualification round 3–5. Their next success in a competition came in the 2002 COSAFA Cup where they qualified ahead of Namibia (2–1) and beat Zimbabwe (2–0) to advance to the semis. There they lost to South Africa (1–4) who would go on to win the tournament. In the 2004 AFCON qualifiers, Eswatini finished third in their group, two points behind Libya and three behind DR Congo therefore missing out on qualification.
In the following tournaments, Eswatini failed to progress past the first qualifying round. They finished bottom of their qualifying groups until 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification where they finished in second on goal-difference ahead of Guinea but were three points off of qualifying, behind Zimbabwe. In the 2018 World Cup qualifying, Eswatini thrashed Djibouti 8–1 over two legs, but were beaten 0–2 by Nigeria to end their hopes of qualification.
Results and fixtures
editThe following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2023
edit| 17 November 2026 World Cup qualification | Eswatini | 0–1 |  Libya | Mbombela, South Africa |
| 15:00 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Attendance: 200 Referee: Omar Abdulkadir Artan (Somalia) |
| 21 November 2026 World Cup qualification | Eswatini | 0–2 |  Cape Verde | Mbombela, South Africa |
| 15:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Referee: Sabri Mohamed Fadul (Sudan) |
2024
edit| 20 March 2025 AFCON qualification | Somalia  | 0–3 | Eswatini | El Jadida, Morocco |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium Referee: Andre Kolissala Mbangui (Central African Republic) |
| 26 March 2025 AFCON qualification | Eswatini | 2–2 (5–2 agg.) | Somalia | Mbombela, South Africa |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Referee: Joseph Odey Ogabor (Nigeria) | ||
| Note: Eswatini won 5–2 on aggregate. | ||||
| 7 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Angola  | 1–0 | Eswatini | Luanda, Angola |
| 20:00 UTC+1 |
|
Report | Stadium: Estádio 11 de Novembro Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Hillary Hambaba (Zambia) |
| 11 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Mauritius  | 2–1 | Eswatini | Saint Pierre, Mauritius |
| 17:00 UTC+4 | Report |
|
Stadium: Côte d'Or National Sports Complex Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Mohamed Athoumani (Comoros) |
| 26 June 2024 COSAFA Cup | Eswatini | 0–0 |  Botswana | Gqeberha, South Africa |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium |
| 29 June 2024 COSAFA Cup | Mozambique  | 0–0 | Eswatini | Gqeberha, South Africa |
| 12:00 | Report | Stadium: Isaac Wolfson Stadium |
| 2 July 2024 COSAFA Cup | South Africa  | 1–0 | Eswatini | Gqeberha, South Africa |
| 15:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium |
| 5 September 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Guinea-Bissau  | 1–0 | Eswatini | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |
| 16:00 UTC±0 | Burá  14' |
Report | Stadium: Estádio 24 de Setembro Referee: Raphiou Ligali (Benin) |
| 10 September 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Eswatini | 0-1 |  Mali | Mbombela, South Africa |
| 15:00 UTC+2 | Report | Bissouma 7' |
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Attendance: 406 Referee: Jean-Claude Ishimwe (Rwanda) |
| 11 October 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Mozambique | 1-1 | Eswatini | Maputo, Mozambique |
| 15:00 UTC+2 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Estádio do Zimpeto Referee: Pierre Jean Nguiene (Congo) |
| 14 October 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Eswatini | 0-3 | Mozambique | Mbombela, South Africa |
| 21:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Mbombela Stadium Referee: Ring Nyier (South Sudan) |
| 15 November 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Eswatini | 1-1 | Guinea-Bissau | Mbombela, South Africa |
| 17:00 UTC+2 |
|
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium |
| 19 November 2024 2025 AFCON qualifier | Mali | v | Eswatini | Bamako, Mali |
| 19:00 UTC±0 | Stadium: Stade du 26 Mars |
Coaches
edit- Caretakers are listed in italics.
Ted Dumitru (1983–85)
Dumisa Mahlalela (1992–93)- Scara Thindwa (1996)
Jan Simulambo (1997)- Francis Banda (1998–2000)
- Dumisa Mahlalela (2001–02)
- Mandla Dlamini (2003)
- Francis Banda (2003)
Werner Bicklehaput (2003)- Dumisa Mahlalela (2004)
- Francis Banda (2005)
Jan Van Winckel (2006)
Ayman El Yamani (2006–07)- Martin Chabangu (2007)
Raoul Savoy (2007–08)
Ephraim Mashaba (2008–10)- Musa Zwane (2010–11)
- Obed Mlotsa (2011)
- Caleb Ngwenya (2011–12)
- Valere Billen (2012–13)
- Harris Bulunga (2013–14)
- Harris Bulunga (2014–16)
- Anthony Mdluli (2017)
Hendrik Pieter de Jongh (2017–18)- Anthony Mdluli (2018)
Kosta Papić (2018–19)- Dominic Kunene (2020–22)
- Dominic Kunene (2023–24)
Zdravko Logarušić (2024)- Sifiso Ntibane (2024)
Players
editCurrent squad
editThe following players were called up for the 2025 AFCON qualification matches against Mozambique on 11 and 14 October 2024.[6]
Caps and goals correct as of 10 September 2024, after the match against Mali
Recent call-ups
editThe following players were called up for Eswatini in the last 12 months.
Player records
edit- As of 14 October 2024[7]
- Players in bold are still active with Eswatini.
| Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tony Tsabedze | 71 | 8 | 2003–2018 |
| 2 | Sabelo Ndzinisa | 69 | 17 | 2012–present |
| 3 | Sifiso Matse | 53 | 4 | 2017–present |
| 4 | Mxolisi Mthethwa | 52 | 3 | 1998–2010 |
| 5 | Wonder Nhleko | 48 | 5 | 2001–2018 |
| 6 | Lindo Mkhonta | 46 | 1 | 2018–present |
| 7 | Machawe Dlamini | 44 | 1 | 2011–2019 |
| Sandile Gamedze | 44 | 8 | 2018–present | |
| 9 | Dennis Masina | 42 | 2 | 1999–2011 |
| 10 | Felix Badenhorst | 41 | 15 | 2008–2021 |
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sabelo Ndzinisa | 17 | 69 | 0.25 | 2012–present |
| 2 | Felix Badenhorst | 15 | 43 | 0.35 | 2008–2021 |
| 3 | Mfanzile Dlamini | 9 | 35 | 0.26 | 1998–2009 |
| Siza Dlamini | 9 | 39 | 0.23 | 1997–2010 | |
| 5 | Sandile Gamedze | 8 | 44 | 0.18 | 2018–present |
| Tony Tsabedze | 8 | 71 | 0.11 | 2003–2018 | |
| 7 | Fanelo Mamba | 6 | 38 | 0.16 | 2018–present |
| 8 | Wonder Nhleko | 5 | 48 | 0.1 | 2001–2018 |
| 9 | Sidumo Shongwe | 4 | 8 | 0.5 | 2011–2014 |
| Sandile Hlatjwako | 4 | 15 | 0.27 | 2014–2017 | |
| Sifiso Matse | 4 | 53 | 0.08 | 2017–present |
Competitive record
editFIFA World Cup
edit| FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1930 to 1966 | Part of United Kingdom
|
Part of United Kingdom
| |||||||||||||
| as Swaziland
| |||||||||||||||
| 1970 to 1978 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
| 1982 to 1990 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1994
|
Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||
 1998
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
  2002
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |||||||||
 2006
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2010
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||||||||
 2014
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||||||||
 2018
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |||||||||
| as Eswatini
| |||||||||||||||
 2022
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
  2026
|
To be determined | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||
   2030
|
To be determined | ||||||||||||||
 2034
| |||||||||||||||
| Total | – | 0/11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 47 | |
Africa Cup of Nations
edit| Africa Cup of Nations record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1957 to  1968
|
Part of United Kingdom | Part of United Kingdom | |||||||||||||
1970 to  1976
|
Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||||||||
 1978
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1980
| |||||||||||||||
 1982
| |||||||||||||||
 1984
|
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
| 1986
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||
| 1988
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1990
|
Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
 1992
|
5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | |||||||||
 1994
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
| 1996
|
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
 1998
|
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
| 2000
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2002
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||
 2004
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | |||||||||
| 2006
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2008
|
6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | |||||||||
| 2010
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||||||||
  2012
|
6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 14 | |||||||||
| 2013
|
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
| 2015
|
Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2017
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | |||||||||
| 2019
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 14 | |||||||||
 2021
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | |||||||||
| 2023
|
8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||
| 2025
|
|||||||||||||||
   2027
|
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
 2029
| |||||||||||||||
| Total | – | 0/25 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 65 | 9 | 21 | 35 | 44 | 118 | |
COSAFA Cup
edit| Year | COSAFA Cup record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1997 | First round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | Quarter-finals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 | Semi-finals | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 2000 | Quarter-finals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 | Quarter-finals | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2002 | Semi-finals | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 2003 | Semi-finals | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | Quarter-finals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2005 | First round | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 | First round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2007 | First round | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 |
First round | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
 2009 |
First round | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
 2013 |
First round | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2015 |
First round | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
 2016 |
Third place | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 |
| 2017 |
Quarter-finals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2018 |
Quarter-finals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 |
First round | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 2020 |
Cancelled | ||||||
| 2021 |
Third place[2] | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 2022 |
Quarter-finals | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Total | 21/21 | 53 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 57 | 59 |
Honours
editRegional
edit- COSAFA Cup
- Third place (2): 2016, 2021
References
edit- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Mozambique vs. Eswatini – 18 July 2021 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. 18 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 21 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ zana-arts Archived 25 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Courtney, Barrie. "Swaziland (eSwatini) — List of International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Final Squad". Twitter. EFA.
- ^ "Eswatini". National Football Teams.
External links
edit- Official website
- Eswatini at CAF
- Eswatini at FIFA
