Cabinet approves $500,000 for the national team
The Council of Ministers last Friday approved $500,000 for the operations of the South Sudan national football team in a period running from 2023 to 2025.
This comes after the former minister of youth and sport, Dr. Albino Bol Dhieu, presented the report to the cabinet and requested for a sum of $2,583,000 for the football activities.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the government spokesperson, Michael Makuei, said the cabinet approved $500,000 to cater for all expenses of the national football team from November 2023 up to the end of the qualification in October 2025.
“The report from the South Sudan Football Association said they have a program of competing with other countries, and the program will continue up to October 14, 2025, on which they have requested a sum of $2,583,000 for this period,” Makuei said.
According to Makuei, the minister of finance and planning will release the money in installments, starting with $500,000, which will cater for the upcoming matches on November 18th and 20th, respectively.
Makuei added, “As such, the cabinet approved a sum of $500,000 for this period, and the rest will be released in 2024, and in 2025.”
“So, the whole amount is approved, but it will be paid gradually as it comes into the budget.”
According to FIFA the first two matches in each group will be played between November 15 and 21, while rounds three and four will take place next June, with qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations also needing to be scheduled during 2024.
The remaining six match days of the World Cup qualifiers will be spread across the international windows in March, September, and October 2025.
In Group A: Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, while in Group B: Senegal, DR Congo, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, and South Sudan
The first match of FIFA World Qualification between South Sudan and Senegal ended four-nil in favor of the Senegal National Team (4:0) at Stade Me. Abdoulaye Wade.
Over the weekend, the Bright Stars suffered a dreadful 4-0 defeat in the hands of a stronger side in Senegal.
