Written by Omnia Hassan:

In a move reflecting South Sudan’s ambitions to develop football, the president of the South Sudan Football Association, Francis Amin, met with the president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to discuss mechanisms to accelerate the development of the game in the country through the FIFA Forward program, which is one of FIFA’s most prominent programs to support national federations.

The meeting witnessed extensive discussions on ways to improve the football system in South Sudan, with a focus on developing sports infrastructure, training personnel, developing young talents, and enhancing the level of local championships to meet international standards.

The Women's League: A historic milestone in South Sudanese football

During the meeting, Francis Amin reviewed the most prominent achievements made by the Federation during the past period, most notably the preparations for launching the first Premier League for women’s football in South Sudan, in a step that represents a qualitative leap towards empowering women in sports and expanding the base of women’s participation in football.

The president of the federation confirmed that the launch of the women’s league comes within a strategic vision aimed at discovering female talents and creating a competitive environment that contributes to preparing teams capable of representing the country in continental and international competitions.

FIFA's programs are creating a new foundation for football.

Amin pointed out that South Sudan was one of the countries that benefited most from FIFA's development programs, which contributed to laying solid foundations for the development of the game, whether through the establishment of sports facilities or the support of training and qualification programs, in addition to developing sports management within the federation.

He also called for FIFA to continue supporting future projects, especially those related to stadium development, the establishment of player training centers, and the expansion of talent discovery programs throughout the country.

International commitment to continue support

For his part, Gianni Infantino affirmed FIFA’s commitment to continuing to provide technical and financial support to the South Sudan Football Association, noting that development programs will remain a key tool to help national associations build a sustainable football system and achieve sports development.

This meeting reflects the keenness of both sides to enhance joint cooperation, which contributes to building a brighter future for football in South Sudan, and gives new generations greater opportunities to play the game and compete at the regional and international levels, within a vision aimed at transforming football into a tributary of community development and enhancing the country’s presence on the global sports scene.