Fact File – Sudan National Football Team
Nickname: Falcons of Jediane
AFCON Appearances: 10
AFCON Titles: 1 (1970)
FIFA Ranking: 113 (December 2024)
Head Coach: James Kwesi Appiah
Rabat, Morocco: Sudan national football team return to the Africa Cup of Nations with renewed belief, determined to rekindle past glory as they line up for the 2025 TotalEnergies AFCON in Morocco.
Sudan sealed qualification with grit, recording a win and a draw against Ghana in a tightly contested campaign to finish second in their group behind Angola. The result marked a welcome return after missing the 2021 edition, restoring a proud footballing nation to the continental stage.
Under Appiah, the Falcons have sharpened their competitive edge. The coach insists Sudan are in Morocco to compete, not to make up numbers. “Once you qualify, you aim for the cup,” he has said, pointing to valuable match practice gained from four games at the FIFA Arab Cup.
Group & Fixtures
Sudan are drawn in Group F alongside Algeria, Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso. They open their campaign against former champions Algeria in Rabat on December 24, before facing Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Players to Watch
– Mohamed Abdelrahman: The talismanic forward who powered the qualification run with decisive goals and leadership.
– Mohamed Mustafa: A commanding goalkeeper whose reliability and organisation at the back anchor Sudan’s resilience.
Tactical Outlook
Appiah favours an attacking 4-3-3 built on fluid movement, width and forward momentum, underpinned by tactical discipline.
The former Ghana international, Appiah, brings a winner’s pedigree, AFCON champion as a player in 1982 and a proven coach who led Ghana to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Appiah’s experience and mentality could be pivotal as Sudan chase a breakthrough run in Morocco.
While Sudan arrive as underdogs, their recent AFCON and World Cup qualifying form suggests they are capable of springing surprises.
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