South Sudan Bright Stars Face Malawi in Opening AFCON 2027 Qualifier

# South Sudan Bright Stars Face Malawi in Opening AFCON 2027 Qualifier

JUBA, South Sudan — September 24, 2026

The South Sudan Bright Stars will begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Malawi on Friday, September 25, as the national football team continues its push for a place at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Malawi vs South Sudan match will be played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 GMT (6:00 p.m. local time). CAF’s official fixture list confirms the match as the opening Group B qualifier for both countries.

South Sudan is competing in Group B alongside Egypt, Angola and Malawi. The top two teams in the group will qualify for the AFCON 2027 finals.

The Bright Stars reached the group stage after defeating Djibouti 4–1 on aggregate in the preliminary round. South Sudan won the first leg 4–0 before losing the return match 1–0.

The team is now led by Christian Nsengi-Biembe, who was appointed Bright Stars head coach in August 2026. The South Sudan Football Federation says the Belgian-Congolese coach is also supporting the development of the country’s youth national teams.

Malawi coach Kalisto Pasuwa said ahead of Friday's game that his players must remain focused and should not underestimate South Sudan.

The Malawi match begins an important period for South Sudan football. After Friday's away fixture, the Bright Stars will return home to face Egypt at Juba National Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, according to CAF's schedule.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.