Sudan’s national football team has no stadium, no home crowd, and no functioning league. Yet somehow, the Falcons of Jediane are defying every expectation. Amid a brutal war that has displaced millions and devastated the country’s infrastructure, they’ve climbed near the top of Group B in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, transforming their resilience into remarkable results.

Led by Kwesi Appiah — former Ghana boss appointed in October 2023 — the team remains unbeaten in six games and sits level on points with football powerhouse Senegal. This improbable World Cup qualification run has sparked a rare wave of national hope in a country torn apart by conflict.

“Every time the national anthem plays during a game, you can see that every player is emotional,” Abdelrahman Kuku, Sudan national team defender, tells OkayAfrica. “This demonstrates how much each player cares about playing well and giving it their all to restore happiness to our people.”

For a nation that has never qualified for the World Cup, this represents one of their most promising campaigns in decades. With critical fixtures against Senegal and Algeria approaching in September, their dream remains very much alive.