In Summary
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrived in Juda, South Sudan on Tuesday
- Infantino attended South Sudan’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the stadium
- The ‘Bright Stars’ were beaten 3-0 by Sudan
FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrived in Juda, South Sudan on Tuesday for the inauguration of Juba National Stadium.
The 54-year-old was joined by the country’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and FA President Augustino Parek, to mark the occasion after FIFA invested nearly 7 million USD (£5.49 million) to support the work in the capital.
Infantino attended South Sudan’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at the stadium – the first time a FIFA World Cup qualifier has been held in the country.
The ‘Bright Stars’ were beaten 3-0 by Sudan but nothing could sour the occasion.
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“Today, with football, we unite the world, we unite South Sudan, we unite Africa, we unite all the people who love our game”, said Infantino.
“We do this here, in your capital, in Juba.I am very happy today and I’m very proud to assist on this historic day, 11 June 2024 for a historic game”, he added.
Historic Day For The Country And Sports
Addressing a press conference a day before in Juba on Monday, Dr. Joseph Geng Akech, the Minister of Youth and Sports, said President Kiir and FIFA’s Infantino expressed gratitude
“This is a historic day for the country and sports in general. We will also be receiving the FIFA president who is a friend of football and sports in South Sudan to inaugurate this very important stadium. Tomorrow (Tuesday) South Sudan will also play with Sudan for World Cup qualifiers,” he said. “So, there is an important day tomorrow for the nation, for the youth and the sports family. This press conference serves to announce and inform supporters to turn up for this very important game and also to witness the inauguration.”
South Sudan was officially admitted as a CAF member on 10 February 2012 at the 34th CAF Ordinary General Assembly hosted in Libreville, Gabon, and admitted as a FIFA member on 25 May 2012 at the second session of the 62nd FIFA Congress hosted in Budapest, Hungary.
