An entire Ethiopian youth football team and their accompanying staff have disappeared in Sweden following the conclusion of the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg, prompting a cross-border search involving multiple agencies.
Swedish authorities are trying to trace around 20 people connected to the team, most of them players aged between 14 and 17, after they failed to return home following the tournament. The group, which also includes several adult supervisors, reportedly left their hotel without checking out and have not been seen since.
The Gothia Cup – one of the world’s biggest international youth football tournaments – finished ten days ago, but officials say there has been no sign of the Ethiopian delegation since the event ended and they have not travelled back to Ethiopia.
Search extends beyond Sweden’s borders
Police in Sweden have confirmed they are working with a range of national and international bodies in an effort to find the missing group.
According to Sweden Herald, officers have been coordinating with the Swedish Migration Agency and border police, as well as liaising with authorities in other countries, amid concerns that the players and staff may have left Sweden after departing their accommodation.
The team’s disappearance came to light when hotel staff discovered that the group had vacated their rooms without formally checking out. Attempts to contact them through the details provided for the stay have so far been unsuccessful.
Officials have not disclosed the identity of the team, the club or academy they represent, or their precise travel arrangements, and there has been no public comment from the organisers of the Gothia Cup regarding the situation.
No contact with Ethiopia
Authorities say the group has not followed the scheduled plans to return to Ethiopia and there has been no confirmation that they have boarded any outbound flights to their home country.
There has also been no public statement from Ethiopian football authorities or diplomatic representatives on the fate of the missing players and staff, and Swedish officials have not indicated whether they are working directly with Ethiopian counterparts as part of the investigation.
The Swedish police have not provided information on possible motives for the disappearance, whether any criminal activity is suspected, or if the youths and adults involved have made contact with migration services or sought asylum.
Gothia Cup background
The Gothia Cup, held annually in Gothenburg, routinely attracts hundreds of youth teams from around the world and is regarded as a major showcase event for young footballers.
The tournament’s closing matches and ceremonies took place ten days ago, after which participating teams were expected to leave Sweden. While most delegations have since returned home, the Ethiopian squad and its supervisors remain unaccounted for.
As the search continues, Swedish authorities are focusing on tracking the group’s movements after they left their hotel and checking whether they have crossed any national borders, in the hope of establishing their current location and clarifying the circumstances behind their disappearance.
