First-Ever Sudanese Women’s Football League Kicks Off

History has been made in Sudan as the first-ever match of the new women’s club football league kicked off on Monday, 30 September 2019 with two teams competing in Khartoum in a stadium as crowds cheered.

The first club match was played between Tahadi and Difaain. Matches are also scheduled for Madani, Al Obeid and Kadugli. The league involves 21 clubs and is working on the creation of an official national team.

Sudan joined Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in 1948. In 1957, Sudan co-founded the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the administrative and controlling body for African association football, with Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa in Khartoum. Its headquarters later moved to Cairo, Egypt after a fire outbreak in the offices of the Sudanese Football Association. The biggest of the six continental confederations of FIFA, CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those competitions.

Women’s football in Sudan has been at a halt due to the country’s Islamic sharia law, which was adopted in 1983. Sudan is now facing a transition with the ousting of the former Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir in April 2019 and now a Sovereign Council will rule for a three-year transition period, implementing policies across the country, which promote freedom of speech, political and religious freedoms, women’s rights and more.

A new Sudanese documentary called Khartoum Offside (2019), written and directed by Sudanese filmmaker Marwa Zein, follows the story of a group of young ladies in Khartoum are determined to play professional football. Prepared to defy the ban imposed by Sudan’s former government, they are battling to get officially recognised as Sudan’s National Woman’s team. Through the intimate portrait of these women over a number of years, the documentary follows their moments of hope and deception. Despite the National Football Federation getting FIFA funds earmarked for the women’s teams, this team continues to be marginalised. However, there is a new spark of hope when the elections within the federation could mean real change of the entire system.

The milestone has been widely celebrated on social media.

Thrilled to be present at the launch of the first women’s football league in #Sudan! The official competition starts with 21 (!!) teams; I guess everyone was waiting for this positive change to happen. As the president of SFA said: the future is female! @Rockende @oranjevrouwen pic.twitter.com/DBoOmw8PDO

— Karin Boven (@Karin_Boven) September 28, 2019

Glad to see #women #football revived after the dark ages we stepped into the past 30 years!

The first women league 🌺❤️#Sudan had the first woman football team in #Africa in the 50s#KeepEyesOnSudan pic.twitter.com/eBUDBeqVfQ

— Nadali (@Nmhali) October 1, 2019

Historic day in Sudanese football, the beginning of the Women’s premier league in #Sudan with 21 teams participating! Al Tahady and Defence United drew 2-2 in today’s league opener at Khartoum stadium. 🇸🇩⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Gt4t5jrMbD

— Abdul Musa – عبدالقادر موسى (@PepJunior1) September 30, 2019

History in the making in Sudan as Khartoum hosts for the first time a women football game after over five decades of discrimination against women playing football. Well done @Sudan_FA #Girlsareyouthstoo

📷 InternetPhotos pic.twitter.com/6gcVMVVBU8

— SIHA Network (@Sihanet) October 2, 2019