African Football legends- Samuel Eto’o, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Jay-Jay Okocha graced the pitch in Mogadishu on Tuesday in a symbolic exhibition match aimed at reshaping Somalia’s global image and reviving its footballing aspirations.
The star-studded fixture, backed by FIFA, was part of a “peace tour” designed to show that Somalia is ready to once again host international sporting events after decades of conflict.
Somalia has endured over 30 years of unrest since the collapse of its central government in 1991, with its national team forced to play home matches in neighboring countries like Djibouti and Morocco due to persistent security concerns.
Mogadishu’s national stadium, once overrun by Al-Shabaab militants and later used by African Union peacekeepers, was extensively damaged but underwent renovations and reopened for sporting use in 2020.
Tuesday’s event marked the first high-profile football match held in the capital in three decades — a moment that Somali officials hailed as a turning point.
“This is a historic day,” declared the Ministry of Youth and Sports, while Security Minister Mohamed Ali Haga described the game as a chance to “change global perceptions of Somalia” and to show that Mogadishu is “safe and ready to host African matches.”
Security was visibly heightened around the stadium, with hundreds of fans gathering hours before kickoff, waving Somali flags and singing. “This is a great day for me — to watch a player like Eto’o, who has always inspired me — it’s like I’m at Camp Nou in Barcelona,” said an excited fan, Mowlid Ali.
Another attendee, Abdirahman Dhere, added, “This is more than just a football match. It’s a symbol of Somalia’s recovery from decades of war.”
FIFA and CAF officials, along with representatives from the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), were present at the match, as Somali authorities pushed for an official reassessment of the country’s security status in hopes of hosting international fixtures in the near future.
