Makur Majok, 1st Vice President for South Sudan Football Federation 📷 Madrama James

The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) has warned that the rise of unauthorized community-organized football tournaments in Juba is diverting fans and revenue away from official national competitions.

Speaking to journalists in Juba, SSFF First Vice President Charles Udwar (Majok) stated that unregulated community events directly undermine the federation’s statutory authority and pose an operational threat to officially organized football across the country.

Describing the situation as a major operational challenge, Majok emphasized that the SSFF holds sole legal authorization to oversee football activities nationwide.

“Community tournaments in Juba are a big headache to us in the South Sudan Football Federation. According to the laws, we are the only authorized body responsible for organizing football in the country. However, there is now a body taking football operations out of our hands. If we don’t act, official football will not survive.”

Majok highlighted that community matches regularly draw crowds matching or exceeding attendance for official national league fixtures, severely cutting into federation matchday income.

He noted that in regions like Bahr el Ghazal—which features teams from Aweil, Wau, and Rumbek—fan turnouts for official matches have dropped as supporters pivot toward community-based events.

Addressing the root cause of the shift, the SSFF Vice President criticized growing tribal and regional divides among sports fans, warning that fan loyalty is increasingly driven by community affiliation rather than support for competitive club football.

“What has occurred in South Sudan is a decline in nationalism. People tend to rally strictly around their tribes. If a match involves specific community groups, everyone shows up. But if it features a mixed regional club, attendance drops. Unless we change this mentality, our sports sector will not advance.”

The federation is calling on sports stakeholders, local authorities, and football fans to align with officially sanctioned football structures to protect the long-term sustainability of the sport in South Sudan.