By Sabri Dibaco
The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) has taken a major step toward transforming women’s football.
This followed its Competitions Committee and Women’s Football Committee finalising plans for the 2026–2027 season, including the historic launch of the country’s first-ever Women’s Premier League.
The high-level meeting, held in Juba on Monday, brought together senior football officials to finalise the women’s competition calendar and strengthen collaboration ahead of what the federation described as a landmark season for women’s football.
Among those attending the meeting were the Deputy Chairperson of the Competitions Committee, Abdallah Abdu Addallah, the Chairperson of the Women’s Football Committee, Suzan John, and SSFF Secretary General Bak Athian Bak.
Speaking after the meeting, Suzan John said the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the two committees to ensure the successful implementation of women’s football activities nationwide.
“Our main discussion centered on how to collaborate with the Competitions Committee to effectively plan for women’s activities across all competition categories in the country,” she said.
She added that the meeting also finalised preparations for “the upcoming, historic launch of the South Sudan Women’s Premier League 2026–2027.”
Deputy Chairperson Abdallah Abdu Addallah said the federation is committed to expanding opportunities for women and girls through a comprehensive competition structure.
“We met with the Women’s Football Committee to brief them on the new structure,” he said. “This season, we will co-organise five competitions: the Women’s Premier League, the Women’s National League, the Women’s National South Sudan Cup, the Girls’ U-17 Tournament, and the Girls’ U-20 Tournament.”
According to Abdallah, the competition frameworks and regulations for all five tournaments have already been completed, paving the way for implementation once they receive final approval.
The meeting also agreed that the finalised competition calendar will be presented to the SSFF Executive Committee next week for endorsement before the season officially begins.
As part of efforts to strengthen grassroots football, the federation plans to issue directives to state football associations to organise local women’s leagues. Champions from the state competitions will qualify for national tournaments, creating a structured pathway for clubs and young players across the country.
The two committees further resolved to improve coordination, increase the involvement of the Women’s Football Committee in match organisation, and promote greater female representation in technical workshops and football administration.
The initiative marks one of the most significant reforms in the development of women’s football in South Sudan and is expected to provide female players with regular competitive football while strengthening talent identification for national teams.
Women’s football in South Sudan has continued to grow in recent years, with increased participation in regional and international competitions under the guidance of the South Sudan Football Federation.
However, the absence of a national women’s top-flight league has long been viewed as a major obstacle to the sport’s development.
The planned introduction of the Women’s Premier League for the 2026–2027 season, together with four additional national competitions, is expected to establish a structured football pyramid for women and girls, improve player development, and create a sustainable pathway from grassroots football to the national teams.