Sudan national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sudan

Nickname(s)	Falcons of Jediane (صقور الجديان)
Association	Sudan Football Association (SFA)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	CECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coach	James Kwesi Appiah
Captain	Ramadan Agab
Most caps	Haitham Mustafa (98)
Top scorer	Nasr Eddin Abbas (27)
Home stadium	Khartoum Stadium
FIFA code	SDN
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	127 (7 February 2019)
Highest	74 (December 1996)
Lowest	164 (July 2017)
Elo ranking
Current	142 9 (3 March 2019)
Highest	31 (July 1971)
Lowest	155 (2018)
First international
Sudan 5–1 Ethiopia  (Omdurman, Sudan; 13 May 1956)
Biggest win
Sudan 15–0 Muscat and Oman (Cairo, Egypt; 2 September 1965)
Biggest defeat
South Korea 8–0 Sudan  (Seoul, South Korea; 8 September 1979)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	10 (first in 1957)
Best result	Champions (1970)
African Nations Championship
Appearances	3 (first in 2011)
Best result	Third place (2011, 2018)
FIFA Arab Cup
Appearances	4 (first in 1998)
Best result	Group stage (1998, 2002, 2012, 2021)

The Sudan national football team is also known as the Falcons of Jediane. This team represents Sudan in international football games. The Sudan Football Association manages the team. Their home stadium is Khartoum Stadium in the capital city, Khartoum.

Sudan is one of the oldest football teams in Africa. They were one of the first three teams to play in the very first Africa Cup of Nations in 1957. They even won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1970 when they hosted the tournament!

History of the Falcons

Early Days and African Success (1946–1970)

The Sudan Football Association started in 1936. This makes it one of the oldest football groups in Africa. Football came to Sudan in the early 1900s through British visitors from Egypt.

Famous Sudanese clubs like Al-Hilal Omdurman and Al-Merrikh helped make football popular. The Khartoum League was the first national league in Sudan. It helped football grow a lot in the country.

Because Sudan learned about football early, they quickly joined FIFA in 1948. Sudanese officials also helped create the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Khartoum in 1957. This was a big step for African football.

After CAF was formed, Sudan hosted the first Africa Cup of Nations in 1957. The team finished third in that tournament.

During these early years, Sudan had many great players. Some of them were Mustafa Azhari, Nasr El-Din Abbas (who scored the most goals for Sudan), Siddiq Manzul, and Ali Gagarin. Sudan's biggest win came in 1970 when they won the 1970 African Cup of Nations. This is their only African trophy so far.

A Tough Period (1970–2008)

After many star players retired, the team faced challenges. Sudan played in the 1972 and 1976 tournaments but couldn't get past the first round.

During this time, Sudan had civil wars, which made it hard for football to stay strong. Political problems also affected the country's sports. Because of this, Sudan struggled to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for many years. They have also never qualified for a FIFA World Cup.

A Small Comeback (2008–2012)

On September 9, 2007, Sudan had a big win against Tunisia, scoring 3–2 at home. This win helped Sudan return to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008 after 32 years! In that tournament, they were in a tough group with Egypt, Cameroon, and Zambia. Sudan lost all their games and finished last in their group.

Sudan almost made it to the 2010 World Cup qualifiers final round. They finished last in their group with only one point.

In 2011, Sudan hosted the 2011 African Nations Championship. They did very well, finishing third! This was their best result in a major African tournament since 1970.

For the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Sudan qualified again. They reached the knockout stage for the first time since 1970. They lost to Zambia in the quarter-finals, who went on to win the tournament.

Challenges Continue (2012–2018)

After 2012, Sudan struggled to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for seven years. They also had trouble qualifying for the African Nations Championship until 2018.

Ups and Downs (2018–Present)

In 2018, Sudan qualified for the 2018 African Nations Championship and finished third again. This made many people hopeful for Sudanese football. Soon after, Sudan qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. They even beat strong teams like Ghana and South Africa at home. This brought them back to the AFCON after nine years!

Sudan also beat Libya 1–0 to qualify for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup. People thought Sudan was ready to become a top team in Arab and African football again.

However, Sudan had a difficult start in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They were in a group with strong teams like Morocco. Sudan lost to Guinea-Bissau at home and drew twice with Guinea. This meant they were the first team in their group to be out of the World Cup race.

Recent Games

The Sudan national football team plays many games each year. These include friendly matches and important qualification games for big tournaments.

Players

Current Squad

Here are the players who were recently called to play for Sudan.

The number of games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of November 18, 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Ali Abu Eshrein	(1989-12-06) 6 December 1989 (age 35)	37	0	Al-Hilal SC
	1GK	Mohamed Mustafa	(1996-02-19) 19 February 1996 (age 29)	29	0	Azam FC
	1GK	Muhamed Abdallah Kedyaba	(1990-06-23) 23 June 1990 (age 34)	2	0	Al-Hilal SC
	1GK	Ahmed Alfateh	(1993-07-03) 3 July 1993 (age 31)	1	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Ramadan Agab (Captain)	(1986-02-20) 20 February 1986 (age 39)	76	8	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Amir Kamal	(1992-07-10) 10 July 1992 (age 32)	71	2	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Bakhit Khamis	(1992-01-16) 16 January 1992 (age 33)	27	0	Al Ahli SC (Tripoli)
	2DF	Mohamed Ering	(1997-10-20) 20 October 1997 (age 27)	25	0	Al-Hilal SC
	2DF	Awad Zayed	(1993-01-01) 1 January 1993 (age 32)	16	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Ahmed Tabanja	(2000-09-02) 2 September 2000 (age 24)	13	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Abdelrahman Kuku	(1997-10-26) 26 October 1997 (age 27)	10	0	Al-Ittihad Club (Tripoli)
	2DF	Altayeb Abdelrazeg	(1991-09-06) 6 September 1991 (age 33)	3	1	Al-Hilal SC
	2DF	Musab Makeen	(1996-05-28) 28 May 1996 (age 29)	2	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	2DF	Marwan Taha	(2006-01-10) 10 January 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Hay Al-Wadi SC (Nyala)
	2DF	Alburaei Jamal	(2005-01-18) 18 January 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Hay Al-Wadi SC (Nyala)
	3MF	Abuaagla Abdalla	(1993-03-11) 11 March 1993 (age 32)	70	3	Al-Hilal
	3MF	Walieldin Khedr	(1995-09-15) 15 September 1995 (age 29)	43	2	Al-Hilal SC
	3MF	Muhamed Alrasheed	(1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 (age 31)	34	1	Al-Merrikh SC
	3MF	Abdel Raouf	(1993-07-18) 18 July 1993 (age 31)	28	2	Al-Hilal SC
	3MF	Salah Adel	(1995-04-03) 3 April 1995 (age 30)	26	1	Al-Hilal SC
	3MF	Ahmed Al-Tash	(1993-03-07) 7 March 1993 (age 32)	24	3	Asswehly SC
	3MF	Sharaf Eldin Shiboub	(1994-06-07) 7 June 1994 (age 31)	18	2	Al-Hilal SC (Benghazi)
	3MF	Ammar Taifour	(1997-04-12) 12 April 1997 (age 28)	11	0	Al-Ahly SC (Tripoli)
	3MF	Suliman Ezzallah	(2005-02-10) 10 February 2005 (age 20)	5	0	Al-Nasr SC (Benghazi)
	3MF	Wajdi Awad	(1996-02-03) 3 February 1996 (age 29)	2	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	3MF	Abdallah Osman	(2006-07-23) 23 July 2006 (age 18)	2	0	Hay Al-Wadi SC (Nyala)
	4FW	Muhamed Abdelrahman	(1993-07-10) 10 July 1993 (age 31)	53	22	Al-Hilal SC
	4FW	Yaser Muzmel	(1993-04-15) 15 April 1993 (age 32)	47	6	Al-Hilal SC
	4FW	Seif Teiri	(1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 (age 31)	39	10	Pharco FC
	4FW	Al-Jezoli Nouh	(2002-10-24) 24 October 2002 (age 22)	30	1	Al Ahli SC (Tripoli)
	4FW	Alsamani Alsawi	(1991-10-31) 31 October 1991 (age 33)	13	3	Al-Merrikh SC
	4FW	Abo Eisa	(1996-01-05) 5 January 1996 (age 29)	9	1	Nongbua Pitchaya F.C.
	4FW	Mohamed Eisa	(1994-07-12) 12 July 1994 (age 30)	9	1	Nassaji FC
	4FW	Ali Abdallah Hemedelnil	(2003-03-17) 17 March 2003 (age 22)	7	2	Hay Al-Wadi SC (Nyala)
	4FW	Mujtaba Faisal	(1995-08-15) 15 August 1995 (age 29)	5	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	4FW	Musa Hussein	(2002-10-27) 27 October 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Al-Merrikh SC
	4FW	Eid Mugadam	(1999-09-17) 17 September 1999 (age 25)	1	0	Al-Nasr SC (Benghazi)

Team Records

Here are some of the top players for Sudan based on how many games they played and how many goals they scored.

Most Games Played (Caps)

Haitham Mustafa has played the most games for Sudan, with 98 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Tournament History

Sudan has played in many important football tournaments over the years.

FIFA World Cup

Sudan has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1938	Part of  United Kingdom
1950 and 1954	Did not enter
1958	Withdrew in qualification
1962	Withdrew
1966
1970	Did not qualify
1974
1978	Withdrew
1982 to 2022	Did not qualify
2026 to 2034	To be determined
Total		0/19

Africa Cup of Nations

Sudan has played in the Africa Cup of Nations many times and even won it once!

Africa Cup of Nations Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1957	Third place	3rd	1	0	0	1	1	2
1959	Runners-up	2nd	2	1	0	1	2	2
1962	Did not enter
1963	Runners-up	2nd	3	1	1	1	6	5
1965 to 1968	Did not qualify
1970	Champions	1st	5	4	0	1	8	3
1972	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	4	6
1974	Did not qualify
1976	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	3	4
1978 to 2006	Did not qualify or withdrew
2008	Group stage	16th	3	0	0	3	0	9
2010	Did not qualify
2012	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	1	2	4	7
2013 to 2019	Did not qualify
2021	Group stage	20th	3	0	1	2	1	4
2023	Did not qualify
2025	Qualified
2027 to 2029	To be determined
Total									1 Title	9/34	27	7	7	13	29	42

African Nations Championship (CHAN)

This tournament is for players who play in their home country's league. Sudan has done well here!

African Nations Championship Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not qualify
2011	Third place	3rd	6	4	1	1	5	2
2014 to 2016	Did not qualify
2018	Third place	3rd	6	4	1	1	5	3
2020	Did not qualify
2022	Group stage	12th	3	1	0	2	4	6
Total	Third place	3/6	15	9	2	4	14	11

CECAFA Cup

The CECAFA Cup is a regional tournament for East and Central African teams. Sudan has won this cup three times!

CECAFA Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1973 to 1978	Did not enter
1979	Group stage	6th	2	0	1	1	1	5
1980	Champions	1st	4	3	0	1	5	2
1981 to 1983	Group stage
1984 to 1989	Did not enter
1990	Runners-up	2nd	4	2	1	1	5	3
1991	Fourth place	4th	4	0	1	3	3	9
1992 to 1995	Did not enter
1996	Third place	3rd	4	1	2	1	6	6
1999	Quarter-finals	8th	3	0	2	1	1	4
2000 to 2001	Did not enter
2002	Group stage	6th	4	1	1	2	4	5
2003	Fourth place	4th	4	2	1	1	8	2
2004	Third place	3rd	5	3	1	1	11	6
2005	Group stage	6th	4	2	0	2	7	12
2006	Champions	1st	6	2	3	1	7	4
2007	Champions	1st	5	2	3	0	8	6
2008	Group stage	6th	4	1	2	1	3	2
2009	Did not enter
2010	Group stage	10th	3	0	1	2	0	5
2011	Third place	3rd	6	3	3	0	6	3
2012	Group stage	9th	3	1	0	2	1	3
2013	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	0	2	8	4
2015	Fourth place	4th	6	2	1	3	7	4
2017	Did not enter
2019	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	2	3
Total	3 Titles	22/39	89	31	29	34	89	64

FIFA Arab Cup

Sudan has also played in the FIFA Arab Cup.

FIFA Arab Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 1966	Did not enter
1985									Did not qualify
1988 to 1992									Did not enter
1998	Group stage	7th	2	1	0	1	2	4
2002		7th	4	1	1	2	4	5
2012		7th	3	1	2	0	4	2
2021		16th	3	0	0	3	0	10
Total	Group stage	4/10	12	3	3	6	10	21

Team Achievements

Sudan has won several important football titles and medals.

Continental Awards

• Africa Cup of Nations
  • Champions (1): 1970
  • Runners-up (2): 1959, 1963
  • Third place (1): 1957
• African Nations Championship
  • Third place (2): 2011, 2018

Regional Awards

• CECAFA Cup
  • Champions (3): 1980, 2006, 2007
  • Runners-up (2): 1990, 2013
  • Third place (3): 1996, 2004, 2011
• Arab Games
  • Silver medal (1): 1965
  • Bronze medal (1): 2023

Friendly Tournament Wins

• LG Cup
  • Champions (1): 2011

Images for kids

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  Haitham Mustafa is Sudan's most capped player with 98 appearances.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Sudán para niños