Sudan’s football team wants to reach the World Cup
International support and canny management have helped the squad defy civil war
Football fans usually dread a nil-nil draw. Not so the Sudanese who watched their national team’s goalless game against Angola in November. The result qualified Sudan for the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off in Morocco in December 2025. The team danced and sang in celebration.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Playing on”
From the December 14th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
Israel’s army adopts a high-stakes new strategy: more terrain
It remains present inside Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank
The sea is swallowing an African island
In Sierra Leone, adjusting to a warmer climate is getting harder
In a dictator’s palace, Syrians debate a new constitution
Ahmed al-Sharaa will soon have to reveal how sincere he is about the new, inclusive Syria
Could political upheaval hit Jordan next?
Resurgent Islamists and chaos in the West Bank may threaten Jordan’s king
Israel and Hamas have something in common
They both want to avoid a ceasefire collapse, for a few more weeks
How to make cash in Africa’s coup belt
Mining multinationals are learning to do business with juntas