Ethiopian youth football team disappears during Gothia Cup in Sweden

Twenty Ethiopians – mainly 14‑17‑year‑old boys and a few adult leaders – vanished on the final day of the Gothia Cup youth tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden. The disappearance was noticed when staff at the school accommodation found the group had left without checking out.

Police say the team appears to have left voluntarily and may be trying to remain in Sweden or another European country, but there is no evidence of human‑trafficking. An international search has been launched, involving the Swedish Migration Agency, border police and authorities in other nations. The last contact from the team was a message thanking organizers for their consideration and citing a communication problem, without revealing their whereabouts.

Gothia Cup this year hosted 1,956 teams from 78 countries, with about 43,500 participants. The Ethiopian squad had taken part in previous editions without incident. "From our perspective, it’s strange because this is a team that we have a good relationship with," said Gothia Cup press officer Fredrik Beckman. Inspector Ellinor Halldin added, "There is no indication that anything illegal lies behind this, such as people smuggling." The search remains ongoing.