
Sudan’s Young Female Footballers Defy War and Tradition
Despite heavy defeats and a backdrop of civil war, Sudan’s under‑17 women’s soccer team stepped onto an international stage, embodying hope and resistance.
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Despite heavy defeats and a backdrop of civil war, Sudan’s under‑17 women’s soccer team stepped onto an international stage, embodying hope and resistance.

Despite heavy losses and societal backlash, a squad of schoolgirls assembled by coach Burhan Tia is using football to carve a path toward hope and a possible spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Since the civil war erupted, Sudan’s under‑17 women’s national team has stepped onto the international stage for the first time, confronting 30‑goal losses, online abuse and a shattered sports infrastructure, yet their participation signals a fragile hope for the future of women’s soccer in the country.

Despite heavy defeats and a backdrop of conflict, Sudan's under‑17 women's national soccer team made its first international appearance in years, symbolising resilience and the tentative revival of women's football in a country shattered by war.

Since the outbreak of civil war, Sudan’s under‑17 women’s national football side has stepped onto the international stage for the first time, confronting heavy defeats, online harassment and a hostile cultural climate, while offering a glimpse of resilience and a platform for change.

The under‑17 women’s national soccer side stepped onto the international stage for the first time since the civil war erupted, confronting military scrutiny, online harassment and deep‑rooted taboos. Their participation, though marked by heavy losses, signals a tentative step toward reclaiming a space for female athletes in Sudan.

The under‑17 women's national team, composed largely of schoolgirls with only weeks of training, stepped onto the global stage in Casablanca, facing defeats, online abuse and a war‑riddled environment, while the federation pursues infrastructure projects and the military government sees the venture as a political statement.

The young Sudanese squad, composed of teenagers some of whom fled the war, made a historic appearance in Casablanca, facing heavy defeats but signaling a fragile hope for women's soccer in a nation torn by civil strife.