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CAF Appoints Youthful and Diverse Referees Team for 2026 African Schools Football Championship Finals

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The Confederation of African Football has unveiled a youth-driven and inclusive panel of match officials for the CAF African Schools Football Championship Continental Finals, scheduled to take place in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2–10 April 2026. Now in its fourth edition since its 2022 launch, the championship continues to provide a key development platform for young football talent across Africa, while equally nurturing emerging referees. The appointed refereeing team features both male and female officials from across the continent, with the youngest members just 17 years old. All selected officials are products of the CAF Young Referees Programme, an initiative aimed at identifying and developing officiating talent at grassroots level. These referees have already played a central role during the Zonal Qualifiers and will continue to officiate during the Continental Finals, ensuring high standards of officiating and fair play throughout the tournament. The CAF African Schools Football Ch...

South Sudan Advance Despite Home Defeat to Djibouti

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South Sudan national football team secured qualification to the next round of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers despite a 1-0 defeat to Djibouti national football team at the Juba National Stadium. South Sudan were led by fitness coach Brin George, with interim head coach Cyprian Ashu once again absent from the touchline for unknown reasons, while Djibouti were under the guidance of Mohammed Meraneh Hassan. The Bright Stars came into the second leg with a commanding 4-0 advantage and managed the game to seal a 4-1 aggregate victory. After a quiet first half with limited chances, Djibouti showed greater urgency after the break. Their persistence paid off in the 77th minute when Samuel Temidayo finished a well-worked move to give the visitors the lead. South Sudan pushed for a response but were unable to break through, as Djibouti held on to claim victory on the night. Despite the defeat, South Sudan remained firmly in control of the tie, with their dominant fir...

Rainbow Stumble as Bajur Win Hands Munuki Title

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Photo Credit: Juba Joint Fans | Christopher Nyang named man of the match By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku | Sports Hunter South Sudan Juba, South Sudan — 30 March 2026 — Rainbow FC suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Bajur FC in a postponed Week 21 fixture of the Juba Football Association 1st Division League at Bulluk Playground on Sunday evening. Karaba Jackson gave Bajur an early lead, putting Rainbow under immediate pressure. Despite their efforts to respond, Rainbow struggled to find a breakthrough. Christopher Nyang then sealed the victory in the final quarter of the match, dashing Rainbow’s hopes of a late comeback with a second goal. The win sees Bajur leapfrog Talanga FC and Viva Stars FC into third place on the table with 37 points, while Rainbow remain second with 44 points. The result also has major implications at the top of the table, as it mathematically confirms Munuki SC as champions of the 2025–2026 Konyokonyo League season. Munuki, known as the “Snakes,” sit top with 62 point...

Hakim Defends Ashu Absence After South Sudan Defeat in Juba

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By | Emmanuel Patrick Laku | Sports Hunter South Sudan Juba, South Sudan - 29th March 2026 - South Sudan National Football Team assistant coach Rizik Hakim  has defended the absence of interim head coach Cyprian Ashu from the post-match press conference following South Sudan’s 1-0 defeat to Djibouti at the Juba National Stadium on Sunday evening. The post-match press conference was delayed for over 20 minutes due to unknown reasons, with Hakim eventually addressing the media in place of the head coach. Responding to questions from journalists, Hakim dismissed suggestions that Ashu’s absence was a sign of disrespect. “The game’s principle and culture are based on respect and mutual recognition, so I don’t think Coach Cyprian Ashu’s absence here is a deliberate underestimation of another team. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have played against Djibouti. Playing against Djibouti means respect for the Djiboutian team, but I can’t go further into some administrative and technical matters...

South Sudan Progress Despite Setback as Hakim Praises Djibouti Display

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By | Emmanuel Patrick Laku | Sports Hunter South Sudan Juba, South Sudan - 29th March 2026 - Sputh Sudan National Football Team assistant coach Rizik Hakim struck a composed tone after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Djibouti in the second leg of the AFCON 2027 quallifiers  preliminary round on Sunday in Juba. Speaking after the match, Hakim acknowledged Djibouti’s improved performance while keeping the focus firmly on qualification. “Djibouti played a good game today, different from the first leg. First, we would like to recognise and congratulate Djibouti, and hard luck to the South Sudan team. But the main concern is the team’s progress to the next level.” The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when formwr El Merriekh Bentiu striker Samuel Akinbinu netted the only goal of the match to hand Djibouti victory on the night. Despite the result, South Sudan progressed with a 4-1 aggregate win, having done the hard work in the first leg. Ranked among the 12 lowest teams at the ...

Munuki SC Maintain Title Charge with Narrow 1-0 Win Over Simba FC

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Munuki SC 1-0 Simba FC Week 25 | Juba Football Association 1st Division League | Bulluk Playground Munuki SC secured a narrow but vital 1-0 victory over Simba FC in their Week 25 fixture at the Bulluk Playground.  Edward Lobojo scored the only goal in the 25th minute , giving Coach Kayanga John’s side a crucial lead that they held until full time. With this win, Munuki SC strengthen their hopes of lifting the 2025/2026 league trophy , now sitting 18 points clear of second-placed Rainbow FC, who have four games in hand.  Simba FC remain in 5th place with 35 points . This result keeps Munuki SC firmly in control at the top of the league, demonstrating their consistency and determination as the season heads into the final stretch. Munuki SC needs just 1 win (3 points) from their remaining 3 games to mathematically clinch the league, regardless of Rainbow FC’s results.

Gurei City Thrash Citizen as Talanga, Al Huriya Share Spoils in Six-Goal Thriller

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  Photo Credit: Hatrick24  Juba, South Sudan - 27th March 2026 - Gurei City delivered a commanding performance with a 5-1 victory over Citizen, while Talanga FC and Al Huriya FC played out an entertaining 3-3 draw in Thursday’s action at the Bulluk Playground. The matches were rescheduled fixtures from Week 18 of the Juba Football Association 1st Division League, popularly known as the Konyokonyo League. Gurei City’s emphatic win sees them climb to 8th position on the table, piling more pressure on Citizen, who remain rooted at the bottom. In the other fixture, Talanga FC and Al Huriya FC treated fans to a six-goal thriller, with both sides settling for a point.  The result lifts Talanga into 3rd place, leapfrogging Viva Stars FC on goal difference, while Al Huriya move up to 7th position, albeit temporarily.

Eritrea Take 2-0 Advantage Over Eswatini in AFCON 2027 Preliminary Round

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Eritrea national football team secured a 2-0 victory over Eswatini national football team in the first leg of the AFCON 2027 preliminary round qualifiers at Stade d'Honneur on 25 March. The 12 teams in the preliminary round are the lowest-ranked sides according to the FIFA Rankings at the time of the draw in January and are competing over two legs to secure a spot in the group stage.  Eritrea now heads into the return leg at Somhlolo National Stadium on 31 March with a strong advantage, while Eswatini will look to overturn the deficit on home soil.

Viva Stars Edge Al Hilal as Nasir Yussif Marks Return with Victory Coach Nasir Yussif marked his

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Juba, South Sudan - 26th March 2026 - Coach Nasir Yusif return to Viva Stars FC with a narrow 1-0 victory over Al Hilal in a postponed Week 18 clash of the Juba Football Association 1st Division League at Bulluk Playground on Wednesday evening. In what is now his second spell with the club following his sacking in 2022, Nasir began on a positive note as his side secured a dramatic late win. Second-half substitute Emmanuel Ladu emerged the hero, scoring in the 90+4 minute with a well-balanced strike into the top left corner, beating the Al Hilal goalkeeper to seal all three points. The victory lifts Viva Stars temporarily to third place with 36 points, while Al Hilal remain in 11th position with 20 points. Nasir, who recently completed his CAF B Diploma in Juba, has joined the Fighters as interim head coach until the end of the season, with a possibility of extending his stay based on results. He replaces former Malakia SC defender Simon Lagu, who had been in charge for nearly two ...

Gurei City Progress to Round of 16 as Super Stars Raise Concerns Over Match Rescheduling

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  Photo credit: SSFF By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku | Sports Hunter South Sudan Juba, South Sudan – 14th March 2026 - Gurei City FC have progressed to the Round of 16 of the South Sudan Cup 2025/2026 after a 2-1 victory over Super Stars FC in the second leg of their National Qualifier Playoff at Bulluk Playground in Juba on Tuesday. Ringo netted a first-half brace for the Juba-based side, while Super Stars FC responded through Juach Ajang, also known as Ramos. The result saw the tie end 2-2 on aggregate, with Gurei City advancing on the away goals rule. Despite the two-legged format,  both matches were played at Bulluk Playground in Juba , in line with competition arrangements. Rescheduling Communication and Concerns The  South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) Competition Committee  officially informed the secretaries of both clubs about the rescheduling of the National Qualifiers Playoff two-legged knockout fixtures. Originally scheduled for March 18 and March 24, 2026, ...