Sudan National Football Team Arrives in Juba for AFCON 2027 Qualifier Against Ethiopia

JUBA, South Sudan — September 23, 2026

Sudan’s national football team has arrived in Juba, South Sudan, ahead of its opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Ethiopia.

The Sudanese team arrived in Juba on Wednesday after completing a training camp in Taif, Saudi Arabia. The match against Ethiopia will be played at Juba National Stadium on Friday, September 25.

Sudan is using Juba as its home venue because the continuing conflict in Sudan has disrupted football activities and affected the availability of suitable stadiums in the country.

The Ethiopian national team had already arrived in Juba on Tuesday as both teams prepare for the important Group J match. Sudan and Ethiopia are in the same qualifying group as Senegal and Mozambique.

Sudan’s players were welcomed at Juba International Airport by Sudanese Ambassador to South Sudan Essam El-Din Mohamed Hassan Karrar, members of the Sudanese community and South Sudanese football supporters.

Sudan head coach James Kwesi Appiah has said his team wants a strong start to the AFCON qualification campaign. Before travelling to Juba, Sudan had been preparing in Saudi Arabia, with players joining the training camp from their respective clubs.

Ethiopia is also approaching the match with confidence. Head coach Yohannes Sahle said his team prepared through friendly matches before travelling to South Sudan.

The Sudan vs Ethiopia AFCON qualifier in Juba is scheduled for Friday as both East African teams begin their journey toward the AFCON 2027 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.