Football returns to Sudan after two-year hiatus amid civil war
The tournament, officially dubbed the Sudanese Elite Championship, features eight top clubs and is being held in the northern towns of Ad-Damer and Atbara, far from the conflict zones in and around Khartoum.
Sudan has restarted domestic league football for the first time in over two years with a month-long elite competition that began over the weekend, marking a major step toward normalcy in a country still reeling from a deadly civil war.
The tournament, officially dubbed the Sudanese Elite Championship, features eight top clubs and is being held in the northern towns of Ad-Damer and Atbara, far from the conflict zones in and around Khartoum.
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The resumption of football comes amid ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023.
The conflict has killed more than 150,000 people and forced approximately 12 million from their homes.
Reuters reports that the tournament seeks to crown national champions and identify teams to represent Sudan in next season's continental club competitions.
Last season, due to the war, Sudan's two biggest football clubs, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, were invited to compete in Mauritania, where they temporarily moved their club operations.
Al Hilal went on to win the league in exile while continuing to compete in CAF tournaments. They reached the quarter-finals of the 2024 CAF Champions League despite having to host home matches in neutral venues.
Both clubs have now returned to Sudan to participate in the Elite Championship. On the opening weekend, Al Hilal defeated Al Merghani Kassala, while Al Merrikh edged Ahly Madani 1-0.
Their highly anticipated derby is scheduled for July 22, the final matchday of the seven-round event.
Other clubs in the competition include Zamalek, Umm Rawaba, Al Amal Atbara, Hay Al Wadi Nyala, and Merrikh Al Abyad. Each team will play once against every other side, with the top performers securing places in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Meanwhile, Sudan's national team has not played a home match since March 2023 but is preparing to feature in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and is still in the running to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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