Members of the South Sudan Blind Football Team train at the Dr. Biar Sport Centre in Juba ahead of their international debut at the IBSA Blind Football African Championship. (File Photo: Michael Daniel/Eye Radio)

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — South Sudan is set to make history as its blind football team prepares to compete internationally for the first time at the inaugural IBSA Blind Football African Championship Division 2 in Uganda.

The national team will face hosts Uganda, alongside teams from Senegal and Zimbabwe, marking the country’s debut on the African blind football stage.

The championship offers a pathway to the highest level of the sport: the top two teams will advance to Division 1 next year, putting South Sudan closer to qualifying for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

From Two Players to a Premier League

Blind football in South Sudan began modestly in 2020 with just two players. Five years later, the sport has grown to over 40 active players, and the South Sudan Blind Football Premier League is challenging entrenched stereotypes about disability while aiming to expand nationwide.

Simon Madol, Head Coach of the national team and Disability Inclusion Facilitator at Light for the World, highlighted the unifying power of the sport.

“Our country has faced many challenges, and sport is a way to bring people together. We are all from different parts of South Sudan, but in this team, we are like brothers, a family. This is the spirit we are trying to spread,” Madol stated.

Madol added that the players are showing society that “you can see someone beyond their disability. Everybody can contribute, regardless of disability or where they are from.”

Partnership for Inclusion

The team’s participation is coordinated by the South Sudan Association of Visually Impaired (SSAVI) in partnership with Light for the World, with funding from the adidas Foundation under the United by Sport program.

This three-year inclusive sports initiative aims to address multiple social challenges, including ethnic divisions, gender-based discrimination, and ableism, while promoting the nationwide growth of the Blind Football Premier League.

Blind football is played with specialized balls that make noise, allowing players with visual impairments to track the ball using sound.

The sport has successfully provided an avenue for participants to build confidence, teamwork skills, and social inclusion, fundamentally challenging the broader society’s perception of disability.

The team’s historic journey symbolizes resilience, unity, and hope for a more inclusive South Sudan.