Esther Kide Kute Peace [3rd from left] joins the ranks of South Sudan's certified coaches after completing the CAF C Diploma Coaching Workshop in Juba on Thursday, August 14, 2025. She was the only woman in her graduating class of twenty-two. Photo courtesy of the SSFF.

In a nation where the roar of a football crowd is a familiar sound, one woman is rewriting the playbook. Esther Kide Kute Peace is one of just twenty-two coaches, and the sole woman, to be certified in the latest CAF C Diploma Coaching Workshop.

For Esther, this isn’t just a coaching certificate; it’s a powerful step in a lifelong journey to prove that the beautiful game belongs to everyone.

Growing up, Esther was told that football was for boys. Yet, her passion for the sport never wavered. Now, armed with new skills in team management, sports science, and medicine, she’s ready to challenge that old notion. “I want to teach girls and boys that the game belongs to everyone,” she says with a quiet determination.

Esther will now be joining three other women who have already made history in South Sudan football. The four women are creating a powerful legacy, proving that female coaches are essential to the sport’s growth.

The program, a collaboration between the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF), FIFA, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is part of a broader mission to elevate football standards nationwide.

As SSFF President Augustino Maduot Parek put it, “Well-trained coaches are the architects of future champions.” The curriculum, which also includes nutrition and anti-doping education, is designed to give coaches the advanced knowledge needed to develop the next generation of players.

For Esther, the workshop was transformative. “I learned how to organise a team, plan training sessions, write reports, and understand sports medicine,” she reflects.

This training has equipped her not just with skills but with the confidence to lead. Her story is a testament to the SSFF’s commitment to nurturing talent and a powerful message that the future of South Sudanese football is inclusive, skilled, and ready for a new era.