by Daniel Solomon
Red Sea FC have been crowned champions of Eritrea’s Central Region football league (Maekel) for a record 15th time, further cementing their status as one of the country’s most successful clubs. The Asmara-based side secured the title despite suffering a dramatic 3–2 defeat against long-time rivals Denden FC in the final round of the season.
The decisive match took place at Asmara Stadium and delivered plenty of excitement. Denden FC opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Meron Alem, putting the defending champions in an early commanding position. Red Sea responded midway through the first half when Semon Asmelash fired home an impressive long-range effort to level the score.
After the break, Asmelash struck again to give Red Sea a 2–1 advantage and move his side closer to the title. However, the match soon turned against the league leaders. Red Sea accumulated a series of disciplinary sanctions, receiving eight yellow cards and losing captain Ablelom Teklezghi to a red card.
With the numerical advantage, Denden mounted a late comeback. Nahom Tadesse restored parity five minutes before full time, and in stoppage time Semon Habte scored the winner to hand Denden a memorable victory.
Despite the defeat, Red Sea finished level on 33 points with Denden and secured the championship thanks to a superior goal difference. The title ends a two-season wait and marks the club’s first championship since 2023.
Although Red Sea have claimed the regional crown, Eritrean clubs rarely participate in continental competitions due to financial and organizational limitations. Al Tahrir remains the last Eritrean club to appear in the CAF Champions League, having represented the country in 2008.
For winning the championship, Red Sea received 75,000 Eritrean nakfa in prize money. Denden earned 50,000 nakfa as runners-up, while Adulis finished third and collected 30,000 nakfa.
Red Sea forward Simon Asmelash also finished the season as the league’s top scorer, netting nine goals during the 2025/26 campaign.
Eritrea currently does not operate a nationwide top-flight league. Instead, clubs compete in regional championships across the country’s six administrative regions. Financial and logistical challenges have prevented the establishment of a fully national league competition in recent years.