I’m surprised at the level of growth of football in South Sudan – Kwesi Appiah
Sudan head coach James Kwesi Appiah has expressed surprise at the level of progress in South Sudanese football when the two teams faced off during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Sudan won the derby match in March 2024 at the Juba Sports Stadium in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
“Nicolas Dupuis [South Sudan head coach] is a true professional and his work with South Sudan is nothing short of remarkable.
“From a sporting standpoint, I have to admit I was surprised by the level of our opponents during this match. The final score doesn’t fully tell the story of the game. We experienced an unforgettable moment.
“The atmosphere in their new stadium was simply magical and everything went well. That’s the power of football and its ability to bring people together.”
In the CAF Group B standings for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Sudan leads with 10 points from 4 matches (3 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses), followed by Senegal with 8 points (2 wins, 2 draws).
DR Congo is in third with 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss). Togo has 3 points (0 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss), while South Sudan and Mauritania are at the bottom with 2 and 1 point, respectively.
The group winner qualifies directly, and the runner-up may enter playoffs.