| Fifa (International Federation of Association Football) President Gianni Infantino joined South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, South Sudan Football Federation (Ssfa) President Augustino Parek and leading continental football officials to inaugurate the newly renovated national stadium in Juba.
The inauguration ceremony preceded South Sudan’s Fifa World Cup 26™ qualifying match against neighbouring Sudan, the first time a Fifa World Cup qualifying match was held in the country. “Today I am a happy man. Today is a wonderful occasion. This is a milestone in the very young history of South Sudan, of the youngest country in the world,” Infantino said on his third visit to the country, which only gained independence in 2011. “This is a great occasion. It is a great opportunity to showcase South Sudan, to showcase the youth of this country, which has so much talent, and it is our joint responsibility to give this talent an opportunity. Now, this talent, when it comes to football, has the opportunity to play in a brand new national stadium, which Fifa contributed to, but building it was a team effort by all of us. And today we have a beautiful jewel here in South Sudan,” the Fifa president added. The stadium was renovated with funds from the Fifa Forward Development programme, which supports the infrastructure projects of the federation’s member associations. A new Technical Centre meeting Fifa specifications will also be built in Nesitu, located east of Juba, to provide South Sudan’s national teams with optimal training and match preparation facilities. “Today we unite the world here in Juba, South Sudan,” concluded the Fifa president while attending a World Cup 2026 qualifying match. Credits to: AFRICA
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Date Published:17 June 2024 Author:Alice, Officer Article Tags: Latest news, South Sudan, Solidarity, Football, Fifa World Cup, Sport for peace |
