Ethiopia National Team: Walia Football Squad, Fixtures and African Kick Off Times

The Ethiopia national team is nicknamed the Walia after the Walia ibex, and its one Africa Cup of Nations title came on home soil in 1962. Founded in 1943, Ethiopia were a founder member of CAF in 1957 and played in the very first AFCON that year, so few sides on the continent can claim an older seat at the table. South African readers searching for the Ethiopia soccer team will find the same story here, told for all five of our countries.

Think of Ethiopia as the old family house on a Lagos street, the one that stood there before the estate grew up around it. Below, I cover the 1962 title, the long wait between 1982 and 2013, the 2014 World Cup qualifying run that ended against Nigeria, the record holders and how to find each fixture's venue. Follow Ethiopia's campaign through the fixtures, results and group modules, then use the historical milestones below to put those matches in context.

Who Are the Walia, and Where Does the Name Come From?

The Walia are Ethiopia's national football team, and the name comes from the Walia ibex, a wild goat found in Ethiopia. Walia, Walias and Walia Ibex are alternative names for the side. In my opinion, it is one of the better nicknames in African football, because it belongs to the country and nowhere else, in the same way that the Super Eagles name could only ever belong to Nigeria. It suits a team from the highlands, where the ibex makes its home.

Ethiopia joined FIFA in 1952. Ethiopia sit among the national teams we cover for readers in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda. To plan your viewing, find the venue and the time zone labels beside the Ethiopia fixture you want to follow.

What Did Ethiopia Win at the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations?

Ethiopia won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1962, as hosts, and it remains their only continental title. The coach was Ydnekatchew Tessema and the captain was Luciano Vassalo, two names that still sit at the heart of Ethiopian football memory. The 1962 title remains a landmark in Ethiopian football history.

The route to that 1962 trophy brought two decisive meetings with fellow African sides. Ethiopia beat Tunisia 4 to 2 in the semi final, then defeated the United Arab Republic, represented by Egypt, 4 to 2 after extra time in the final. The final score therefore needs its extra time label: the title was settled beyond the opening 90 minutes.

Ethiopia followed their 1962 title with fourth place in 1963 and fourth again as hosts in 1968. They hosted once more in 1976 without reaching the final four. Those dated finishes provide a starting point for understanding the Walia's tournament history.

How Did Ethiopia Help Found CAF and the AFCON in 1957?

Ethiopia were one of the founder members of CAF in 1957 and played in the first Africa Cup of Nations that same year. By then the team already had a decade of internationals behind it, starting with a 5 to 0 win over French Somaliland on 5 December 1947, and the federation had joined FIFA in 1952. So, when African football first organised itself as a continent, Ethiopia were in the room rather than waiting outside it, and that early start is the backbone of the timeline in the records box below.

For readers in Accra or Kampala exploring Ethiopia's continental connections, 1957 links the Walia to the beginnings of AFCON. Read that founding milestone alongside the 1962 title and the 2013 return to trace distinct chapters in their history.

Why Did Ethiopia Wait From 1982 to 2013 for Another AFCON?

Ethiopia's appearance at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations was their last at the finals for 31 years. In 1982 they did not progress beyond the group stage, and the decades that followed were spent in qualifying campaigns before their return in 2013. Ethiopia returned to the finals in 2013 under Sewnet Bishaw, following their previous appearance in 1982.

The dates establish the length of the gap, but they do not by themselves explain every qualifying campaign within it. For a useful comparison, separate qualification from performance at the finals. Reaching AFCON means navigating the entry route for that edition; progressing once there requires another set of results against the other qualified African teams.

South Africa hosted Ethiopia's return in 2013, when the Walia shared a group with Zambia, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. That gives South African and Nigerian readers another connection beyond World Cup qualifying. It also makes the 2013 finals a useful historical starting point for exploring Ethiopia's meetings with opponents from across the continent.

How Have Ethiopia Done in World Cup Qualifying?

Ethiopia's best World Cup qualifying run came in the campaign for Brazil 2014. Their first attempt was in 1959, when Israel eliminated them 4 to 2 on aggregate. Then came the 2014 campaign, in which Ethiopia beat South Africa and the Central African Republic and settled the top spot in their group early. The 2014 qualifying group provides a historical connection with South Africa, with both meetings available in the head to head records.

That run ended in the third round against Nigeria, creating a direct football connection between Ethiopia and Nigeria in 2013. For the Super Eagles, the two match tie was the last door before Brazil 2014, and the players who came through it carried that qualification to the finals in Brazil. For Ethiopia, reaching the final round in the 2014 qualifying campaign was their furthest progress recorded in 2026.

When revisiting those African encounters, distinguish a group result from the outcome of a knockout tie. A group victory contributes to a longer points contest, while an aggregate score combines the goals from both legs. For the 2014 campaign, that distinction explains why topping the group and reaching the World Cup were separate milestones.

Who Holds the Ethiopia National Team Records?

The 2026 records list Shimelis Bekele with 81 caps and Getaneh Kebede with 33 goals. The biggest recorded win is 10 to 2 against French Somaliland in 1954, and the heaviest defeat came against Iraq in 1992. Ethiopia's highest FIFA ranking was 86th, in September 2006, and the lowest was 155th, in December 2001. The table preserves the caps and scoring figures recorded in 2026; consult the updating records module for subsequent changes.

Caps and goals answer different questions about Ethiopian internationals. An appearance record highlights repeated selection across matches, while a scoring record measures goals credited to a player. Neither figure alone describes a player's role or the strength of the opposition. When comparing Walia players across generations, read the dates and match categories attached to each record.

Ethiopia Fixtures and Results: What Time Is Kick Off Where You Live?

Find an Ethiopia fixture by its competition label, then read its kick off across WAT, EAT, SAST and GMT. The four labels let readers in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda select the relevant clock without treating the venue's local time as their own. Check the venue alongside the date when arranging your viewing.

An AFCON qualifying group gives Ethiopia's fixtures their competitive context. Read the competition label and games played column alongside the points shown for each side. Qualification places and tie breakers depend on the applicable edition's format.

Compare games played before judging the distance between Ethiopia and another African side in the group. Teams with different numbers of completed fixtures have different amounts of their schedule remaining. Then check the remaining fixtures and the qualification rules together: points, goal difference and head to head results only become meaningful within the rules for that competition.

How Can You Find the Venue for an Ethiopia Fixture?

The fixtures module identifies the venue and local kick off time for each Ethiopia match. Open the individual fixture to establish where the Walia are playing, including when Ethiopia are listed as the home side.

Read the local time together with the WAT, EAT, SAST and GMT entries. Use the venue shown for that fixture when planning attendance or following the match from another country.

Why Do the Walia Matter in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda?

Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia share a regional football connection through CECAFA. South Africa's link runs through the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, and Nigeria's through the third round tie that sent the Super Eagles to Brazil. Explore those dated meetings through Ethiopia's head to head records.

Ghana's continental connection includes AFCON, where Ghana and Ethiopia can be drawn together. Look for confirmed meetings in Ethiopia's fixture list and use the competition label to distinguish each encounter.

For each pairing, narrow the head to head view by competition and date before drawing conclusions. A regional tournament meeting, a friendly and a continental qualifier serve different purposes. Reading the venue and match type alongside the score gives readers in all five countries a clearer account of how their national side's football history intersects with Ethiopia's.

Is It the Ethiopia Football Team, the Walia or the Walia Ibex?

Ethiopia football team and Ethiopia national team identify the same men's side, also known as Walia, Walias or Walia Ibex. For meetings with Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana or Uganda, select Ethiopia and the opposing country in the head to head records.