Sudan’s U‑17 Women’s Team Takes the Field in Casablanca
When the Sudanese under‑17 women’s national team stepped onto the green pitch of Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, they carried more than just a desire to play football. Their red jerseys contrasted sharply with the field, symbolizing a nascent hope for a sport that has long been contested in their homeland.
Most of the players are teenagers; some have fled the ongoing civil war, while others had never participated in an organized league or set foot in a large stadium before this trip. Despite the odds, the team’s captain, 17‑year‑old Nura Mohamed, told The Associated Press that her goal is to “advance soccer in my country” and that she simply loves the game.
A historic debut amid adversity
The journey to Casablanca was part of the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Sudan had not fielded a women’s national team in international competition since the civil war erupted in 2023, making this appearance a significant milestone for the Sudanese Football Association (SFA).
However, the team faced steep challenges. In their two qualifying matches against the Comoros, they conceded a total of 30 goals, suffering a 17‑0 defeat in the first game. Many players were seen in tears after the final whistle, despite the modest support of a dozen cheering fans.
Coach Burhan Tia, who oversees all Sudanese women’s national teams, acknowledged the gap: “The difference between us and the others is huge. We can’t compete at the highest level yet,” he said after the match. He noted that most Comorian players compete professionally in Europe, whereas the Sudanese squad consists largely of schoolgirls who began training only weeks earlier.
Rebuilding a program shattered by war
The Sudanese women’s football league, launched after the 2019 revolution that removed longtime president Omar al‑Bashir, collapsed when fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces intensified. According to the United Nations, the conflict has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with over 40,000 deaths and more than 14 million people displaced as of 2024.
In the wake of the war, the SFA turned to youth development to preserve the sport’s presence. Manal Ali Bushra, a businesswoman who heads the women’s soccer committee, explained that many players traveled long distances to attend training, often separated from their families. She added that the association is pursuing infrastructure projects—such as a planned sports city and the renovation of key stadiums in safer regions—to lay a foundation for future growth.
Coach Tia described the recruitment process as a series of hurdles: first locating girls who played soccer, then verifying their age for international eligibility, and finally convincing parents to allow training over school commitments. His scouting trips took him to schools across Sudan and to refugee communities in Egypt, where he secured ten players from Cairo‑based academies. Recruiting from conflict‑affected areas like Darfur and Kordofan proved difficult because many girls lacked identification documents needed for age verification.
Social and cultural obstacles
Beyond logistical and financial constraints, the players confront deep‑rooted societal attitudes. Under al‑Bashir’s three‑decade Islamist rule, public order laws were criticized by human rights groups for limiting women’s freedoms. Even after the 2019 revolution, prominent preacher Abdulhay Yousif warned that a women’s soccer league threatened religious values.
Political scientist Liv Tønnessen, who studies gender politics in Sudan, explained to the AP that the Islamist regime viewed women’s visible participation in sports as “fitna”—a term associated with sexual or moral chaos. Consequently, when women step onto a pitch, they challenge a narrative that has long confined them to private spaces.
Online harassment has added another layer of difficulty. Comments on the national team’s social media pages include mockery of the heavy defeats and repeated exhortations such as “Go back to the kitchen” in multiple languages, reflecting the sexist backlash that many female athletes face worldwide.
Looking forward: hope amid hardship
Despite the losses on the field, the team’s presence in Casablanca represents more than a scoreline. For officials like Ali Bushra, the debut is a step toward keeping women’s football alive in Sudan and inspiring the next generation. The SFA’s planned investments in facilities and grassroots programs aim to create safer environments where girls can train and compete.
As Nura Mohamed put it, “It’s a beautiful, unique feeling because at the end of the day I just love playing.” Her words capture the resilience of a group of young athletes who, amid war, displacement, and societal pressure, continue to chase a simple joy: the chance to run, pass, and score on a football field.
