South Sudan Football Association is appealing to the public to raise funds to enable the Bright Stars travel to Burundi for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The association said the it does not have enough money to pay for the transport and accommodation fees for the national team to compete in their first game of the group stages outside the country.

John Anthony, who is the Secretary of the association, says without funds, the team will not participate in the continental march next month.

“We were supposed to start yesterday the training for the national team but because of lack of finance we are not able to start,” Anthony said.

He called on the fans of the football team and well-wishers to offer support to the Bright Stars.

“I am just requesting and appealing to all our football lovers, our business men and women and all government officials who have something, please, let us unite and atleast contribute something so that our team may go and participate in this all important game,” he said.

South Sudan Qualified for the group stages of the 2019 Africa cup of nations qualifiers after beating Djibouti 6-0 in Juba in March this year.

The march against Burundi next month will inspire Bright Stars hope of representing South Sudan for the first time in the 2019 African Cup of Nations.