By Kei Emmanuel Duku
South Sudan National League has confirmed that two teams from the second-tier league will be promoted to the national league, 2025/26 season.
According to South Sudan National League organizing committee the two promoted teams will join the current 14 clubs in the top-flight league.
The committee also announced the South Sudan National League, that was initially scheduled to begin last week, will now kick off on May 15, 2025. The league will be divided into two zones.
A total of 13 teams are expected to compete, with Juba hosting Zone A and Aweil hosting Zone B. The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) officially announced the rescheduled start date on its social media platforms.
The National League is an annual competition organized by the SSFA, featuring top-division teams from various local football associations across the country. The SSFA stated that the league is a crucial step in strengthening the domestic football structure and providing more competitive opportunities for clubs nationwide.
Altabara FC, champions of the Juba Local Football Association with 56 points, will represent Juba in the upcoming national competition. Villa United, champions of the Yambio Local Football Association in Western Equatoria, was the first team to confirm participation.
The SSFA had previously set May 5th as the deadline for club participation confirmation and May 9th as the original start date, but these dates were subsequently revised by the organizers. The Organizing Committee has instructed all local associations to meet the deadline and ensure their representatives are fully prepared for the national league.
Last year’s National League was won by Al-Merriekh FC Bentiu, who represented South Sudan in the CAF Champions League. However, following changes to competition rules, this year’s champion and the runners-up will automatically gain promotion to the top league.