El-Mereikh FC Juba. (File/Noel photograpy).

South Sudan Cup Champions El-Mereikh FC Juba are yet another team struggling with logistical challenges in representing the country at the Africa Confederation Cup after they failed to raise 66% of the money needed to participate in the continental competition.

El-Mereikh FC Juba are set to play the first leg of their match against Sudan’s Haidub Al-Nahoud FC at Bahir Dar National Stadium in Ethiopia on August 20.

The games will be hosted by neighboring Ethiopia due to the lack of a standard stadium in South Sudan, and the conflict that has pummeled neighboring Sudan.

El-Mereikh FC Juba are scheduled to play away to Sudan’s Haidub Al-Nahoud in the first leg on August 20th, before the two teams could then face each other in the second leg a week later, in the same stadium.

However, El-Mereikh Secretary-General Mr. Kamal Awad Frajallha, said the team only have 20,000 US dollars awarded to them by national football-governing body SSFA as the price of wining South Sudan cup.

He says the amount they possess is only 33% of their initial budget which was 65 thousand USD.

“For the issue of financial situation is how you go about how covering your budget, the budget that we put for El-Marrikh FC to go and play it game in Bahir-Dar is about 65 thousand USD,” Awad told Eye Radio.

“It just to cover the tickets, accommodations and other expenses, out of this amount I can say El-Marrikh FC has, as per now 20 thousand USD. That’s the money that was awarded to us when we won South Sudan Cup, so we trying to cover the gap.”

Meanwhile, South Sudan’s Salam Football Club Bor also said they are at risk of missing their continental game against Alhilal FC over travel-related issues after the Sudanese opponents retracted their early offer to pay for tickets for both teams to Morocco.

South Sudan does not have a standard home ground approved by CAF as Juba stadium is still on renovation.

War-torn Sudan is also not in a position to host the games.