Reaching The World Cup Would Be A Great Springboard For The Development Of Football In Sudan

Sudan coach James Kwesi Appiah has spoken to FIFA about why reaching the World Cup in 2026 would “transform” the mindset of his players.

Appiah is eager to lead Sudan back to the finals after leading the Black Stars of Ghana to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Sudan currently holds the lead of Group B in the CAF World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Appiah, a former Ghanaian defender who has over the years, have experienced African football, is extremely passionate about the continent’s football development.

In fact, he never gave in to the lure of European football, even after he and the great Abedi Pele won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1982.

Instead, Appiah spent the majority of his playing career with Asante Kotoko, one of the best clubs in Africa. After he retired from playing, he became the club’s coach.

As a result, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Ghana national team, where he learned from seasoned coaches Claude Le Roy and Milovan Rajevac.

Kwesi Appiah said to FIFA that, being a coach requires patience and paying close attention to even the tiniest details. Consequently, his opportunity came just in time.

Appiah took charge of Ghana’s U-23 team at the African Games in 2011, and that team won the tournament, which led to his appointment as coach of the senior national team the following year.

After that, he led the Black Stars to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making him the first coach from sub-Saharan Africa to lead a team to a FIFA World Cup.

He added,

“I’m happy that I’m no longer the only one to have done this,” he added. “When I contemplate the achievements of my colleague Aliou Cisse with Senegal, it makes me really proud. Others will come after us and accomplish more.”

The 64-year-old Appiah has only been competing for less than a year, ie. to lead Sudan to the next World Cup. “I have no doubt that we can accomplish this,” he insisted.

He also spoke about Sudan’s impressive 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, what it would mean to reach the finals, and his memories of Brazil 2014.

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With two points more than Senegal in their World Cup qualification group, Sudan leads. Sudan set out with a clear goal for this campaign: to accumulate as many home points as possible.

“Our game against Congo DR (a 1-0 win) was indicative of the determination of the players, who kept going until the end to secure this crucial victory. After also beating Mauritania away 2-0, the players will go into the upcoming challenges with confidence. These results have given us an advantage ahead of our clash with Senegal in March 2025. The Sudanese federation is also doing a remarkable job, providing excellent conditions for us. Everyone is contributing to the success of this qualifying campaign”, he said.

Kwesi Appiah went on to say that his team will definitely make it to the World Cup. In essence, they are concentrating on each game as it comes.

“You can’t look too far ahead or skip any steps, as there’s still a long way to go. We put in some good performances, but I’m convinced that we can do even better if we maintain the same motivation”.

Appiah recalls the time Sudan sought his assistance. He said it made him feel really honored because it shows that African teams trust their coaches’ expertise.

“During the last World Cup, all CAF teams had African coaches at the helm. They’ve shown the world, in the shape of Walid Regragui and Morocco, that they can perform when given the opportunity. African coaches have proven themselves when they’ve been afforded the chance”, he added.

Meanwhile, South Sudan lost 3-0 to Kwesi Appiah’s Sudan in the World Cup qualifying derby in June.

“I have to admit I was surprised by the level of our opponents during this match. The final score doesn’t fully tell the story of the game. We experienced an unforgettable moment. The atmosphere in their new stadium was simply magical and everything went well. That’s the power of football and its ability to bring people together”.

“Reaching the World Cup would be a great springboard for the development of football in the country. Administratively, it would make things much easier. It could also change the lives of my players. Currently, there are only two professionals in the squad. If we were to qualify for a World Cup, they could perform on the biggest stage and then tell themselves that they too were capable of playing in Europe. That’s something that would transform their mindset. You cannot imagine how much happiness a World Cup participation would bring to all of Sudan”.