Trending 
Three African football legends — Samuel Eto’o, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jay-Jay Okocha — featured in an exhibition match in Somalia on Tuesday as part of efforts to help the country restore its global image.
The trio participated in a FIFA-supported “peace tour,” which Somali officials hope will pave the way for the return of international football fixtures to the country.
Somalia has endured prolonged internal conflict since 1991, and its national football team currently plays home matches in neighbouring Djibouti or Morocco due to security concerns.
Mogadishu’s national stadium, which was severely damaged after being used as a base by the Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab in 2008 and later by African Union peacekeepers, was renovated and reopened in 2020.
The arrival of Eto’o (Cameroon), Adebayor (Togo), and Okocha (Nigeria) marked what was described by the Ministry of Sports as the first major football event in Somalia in three decades, hailed as a “historic day.”
Security Minister Mohamed Ali Haga said the match served to “change the world’s perception of Somalia… and show that Mogadishu is safe and capable of hosting African football.”
Security around the stadium in southern Mogadishu was heightened, with hundreds of fans turning up hours early, many waving Somali flags.
“This is a great day for me — seeing Eto’o, who’s always inspired me. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. It feels like I’m in Barcelona’s stadium,” said local fan Mowlid Ali.
Another fan, Abdirahman Dhere, added, “This isn’t just a football game — it’s a symbol of Somalia’s recovery after years of conflict.”
Somalia has reportedly asked FIFA and CAF to reassess its security situation in hopes of hosting official matches in the future. Representatives from CAF and CECAFA were in attendance for the exhibition.
