Sudan Seeks Historic AFCON Quarter-Final Against Senegal, Using Football to Bring Hope and Unity Amid Ongoing Civil War

Sudan will face Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 on Saturday. The match is about more than football. For a country torn by war since April 2023, it represents hope and unity. Millions of Sudanese are following the team’s journey. Football offers a rare escape from fear and uncertainty.

The war started after the Sudanese Army (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) disagreed on merging their militias. Hundreds of thousands have died. Millions more have been displaced. Sudan’s national team has not played at home for over three years. Many top clubs now compete in Rwanda. Despite this, the team qualified for AFCON.

Coach Kwesi Appiah, a Ghanaian, believes football can inspire peace. “If we win, it may calm the war or even stop it,” he said. He recalled a previous game when fighting paused and citizens celebrated together. Appiah hopes sport can unite a divided nation.

Sudan won the AFCON in 1970. That tournament had only eight teams and went straight to the semi-finals. Today, they face a strong Senegal side. Sudan reached the knockouts without scoring any goals of their own. Their only goal came from an own goal in a 1-0 win against Equatorial Guinea. They lost to Algeria and Burkina Faso but advanced as one of the best losers.

Players like Mohamed Abdelrahman stress the team’s role for morale. “We feel proud. Football brings joy to our people. It is the only happiness they have right now,” he said.

Sudan aims to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in decades. Beyond sport, the team hopes their performance signals resilience and peace. Every pass, tackle and goal carries the hopes of a nation longing for stability.