South Sudan’s women football league brings hope to many girls

By John Agok

The Bentiu Women football team beat Kuajok Women 2-0 in the inaugural match in South Sudan’s capital Juba over the weekend, Suzi Nyaliu scored the first goal and Emmanuela Nyalou sealed the win in the 70th minute with another goal.

In the second round of games Sunday, Yei Joint Stars beat Yambio Women, 3-0, the match was played in the capital of Western Equatoria State.

Torit Women thrashed Wau Women 8-0.

Torit now tops the table on goal difference after the first round; Yei is in second place, and the Wau is at the bottom of the table.  

Ugandan national Jean Sseninde, a women’s football consultant for the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has been hired by the South Sudan’s Football Association to provide technical guidance. Sseninde, says launching the league gives hope to many young women across South Sudan and for women’s football in the entire East African region.

South Sudan’s Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Dr. Albino Bol, said the women’s league is important because it encourages South Sudanese from different communities to interact with each other and find common ground.

“Peace cannot be achieved if we are not socializing among ourselves. Socialization among our tribes through peaceful coexistence is what will bring peace and sport is one of the social activities that can bring peace to the nation in a very simple way, so I want to thank FIFA, CAF and the football association of South Sudan under the leadership of Francis Amin for coming up with this great event,” he said.

Juba Super Stars, Yei Joint Stars, Yambio Women FC, Aweil Women, Kuajok Women, Wau Women, Torit Women and Bentiu United make up the eight football clubs that form the women’s league

Francis Amin, president of the South Sudan Football Association, called last Saturday, a historic day.  

“We have registered the first-ever [women’s] South Sudan league, which is recognized in the system by FIFA. We have made it, and congratulations to all teams! We started with the training of the coaches, administration, and now we have kicked-off with the league,” Amin told media.

In a country where nobody imagined a football league six years ago when war was raging across the country, the football league is generating hope for a better future for many young South Sudanese women.