By Kei Emmanuel Duku
The Juba Local Football Association has announced that the 2024/25 Juba Super Cup will take place on September 6th, featuring a match between Jamus FC and Malakia FC of Juba.
Originally scheduled for September 1st, the fixture was postponed by a week to accommodate Jamus FC players returning from Tunisia after they participated in the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup against Stade de Tunis.
George Sebit, the Secretary-General of Juba Local Football Association, explained that the postponement was necessary due to the delayed arrival of Jamus FC players. Only 10 players were expected to return immediately, with the remaining team members arriving on subsequent days.
The Super Cup’s return marks the first edition since its hiatus between 2018 and 2019. The postponement was part of the South Sudan Football Association’s efforts to align the South Sudan football calendar with the global calendar.
Before the realignment, the Juba Local Football Association, like other associations in the country, operated outside the FIFA calendar.
This resulted in congested fixtures, with teams playing for less than 6-7 months instead of the usual nine-month league season, leading to player fatigue.
The Super Cup is traditionally contested between the champions of the South Sudan Cup and the winner of the Juba Local Premier League.
The winner of the match between Jamus FC and Malakia FC will receive a cash prize of 5 million South Sudanese Pounds, while the runner-up will receive 2.5 million South Sudanese Pounds.
The 2024/25 Super Cup will be played at Juba Stadium, and Sebit is appealing for more sponsors to inject additional funding and make the Juba Premier League and other leagues more competitive.