Football returns to war-torn Sudan as elite clubs go back home
League football has returned to war-torn Sudan for the first time in more than two years with a one-month competition being organised for eight clubs to determine the country's champions.
Sudan has been in the grip of conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, with more than 150,000 people killed and about 12 million uprooted, creating the largest displacement crisis in the world.
Among them have been the country's biggest clubs Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, who between them have won all but four of the championships since the league was created in 1965.
Last season, the pair were invited to play in the league in Mauritania, on the other side of the continent, where they could remain active and moved their club structures to the West African country, where Al Hilal emerged as champions.
But they are both back in Sudan to take part in a tournament to decide which clubs will compete in continental club competition for the 2025/26 season.
Al Hilal were quarter-finalists in this year's African Champions League despite having to host their home games on neutral territory.
They were also weekend winners against Al Merghani Kassala in the first round of the Sudanese Elite Championship, which is being played at Ad-Damer, some 430km from the capital Khartoum, which has been badly damaged by the civil war.
Matches in the tournament are also being hosted in Atbara, which is 320km north of Khartoum.
There will be seven rounds of fixtures, and Al Merrikh also got off to a winning start over the weekend by beating Ahly Madani 1-0. Their derby against Al Hilal is set for the last day of competition on 22 July.
The other clubs competing are Zamalek, Umm Rawaba, Al Amal Atbara, Hay Al Wadi Nyala and Merrikh Al Abyad, who will all each play each other once.
Sudan's national team, who will compete in the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco at the end of the year and are also chasing a first-ever World Cup appearance next year, have not played a home match since March 2023. REUTERS
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