South Sudan’s Cup competition to start this month

By John Agok

South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) says there is a total of twenty one (21) teams that will compete for the South Sudan’s Cup 2020-2021.

This is the 9^th edition of South Sudan’s Cup.

The competition is scheduled to begin on 9^th -30^th May across all states.

The teams have been drawn in to three major cities, Juba, Rumbek and Renk and this year the competition is under a theme “Peace through Football.”

Group A has nine teams from the Greater Equatoria region based in Juba,  Group B comprises of eight teams is based in Rumbek. Group C has four teams in Renk

There are however different number of teams in the Juba, Rumbek and Renk. The format for the competition will therefore be different for Group A where the competition will begin  from a preliminary stage featuring Malakia of Terkeka against Ngulawa of Mundri.

The country’s football championship is struggling due to lack of funds for financing clubs

The league has been split into groups of local teams, to try and cut down on travel costs.

The games are to played in a knock-out basis..

Group winners will play each other to determine a national champion who will then go on and play in the African Continental Leagues.

One of the major sources of revenue that football clubs in South Sudan rely upon is ticket receipts from fans to watch matches in stadiums.

However, a lockdown restriction that has just been lifted in April means that revenue stream was been cut off for long.

The Football Association here says it is only able to operate now because of grants from FIFA.