Sudan champions Al Hilal to play in Tanzania league during war

Tanzania has agreed to allow Sudanese club Al Hilal to play in its football league from next season while a brutal war rages in Sudan, officials said on Wednesday.

Sport is suspended in Sudan where the conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions since April 2023. 

The defending Sudanese premier league champions will be in action in the Tanzanian league starting in August, Tanzanian Football Federation spokesman Clifford Mario Ndimbo said.

“We have received the request from Al Hilal to play in the Tanzania premier league and it’s been approved,” Ndimbo told AFP.

“We are now working on some processes before commencing at the start of the new season.”

The Khartoum-based club will not be eligible to win the league and their matches will only count as friendlies.

“It’s an opportunity for the Tanzanian clubs to learn from one of the continent’s football giants and promote the local league,” said Ndimbo.

The Tanzanian league is one of the most competitive in East Africa, drawing thousands of fervent fans.

Fighting has been raging in Sudan since April 15, 2023, pitting the army of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the former number two in the military establishment.

It has led to a dire humanitarian crisis and acute food shortages, with the country teetering on the brink of famine.