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Ghanaian coach James Kwasi Appiah aims to lead the Sudanese national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, calling this potential achievement a “life-changing experience.” In an exclusive interview with FIFA, Appiah outlined his ambitions and the progress Sudan has made in the qualifiers.
Having previously guided Ghana’s Black Stars to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Appiah is now focused on elevating Sudan to the global stage. Under his leadership, Sudan recently celebrated a significant 3-0 victory over South Sudan in Juba on June 11 as part of their World Cup qualifying campaign. Reflecting on their journey, Appiah stressed the importance of consistency and leveraging home advantage. “We started this campaign with a clear objective: to amass as many points as possible at home,” he stated.
He noted that the team’s 1-0 win against Congo DR demonstrated the players’ determination, as they fought hard until the end to secure the critical victory. “After also beating Mauritania away 2-0, the players will go into the upcoming challenges with confidence,” Appiah added.
This latest victory has positioned Sudan at the top of Group B, with 10 points from four matches, maintaining a two-point lead over Senegal, who are in second place with eight points. The upcoming match against Senegal in March 2025 is anticipated to be a pivotal moment in their qualifying campaign.
Appiah recognizes the broader implications of World Cup qualification for Sudanese football. “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,” he explained. He believes that qualifying would allow his players to perform on the biggest stage and inspire them to pursue opportunities in Europe.
As the first coach from sub-Saharan Africa to lead a team at a FIFA World Cup, Appiah serves as a source of inspiration for his current squad. “They [players] ask me about the atmosphere during this competition and if it’s different from what they see on television. I tell them that I firmly believe they’re capable of qualifying for the World Cup. That pushes them to fight in every game,” he said.
Appiah returned to Sudan in October 2023, marking a new chapter in his coaching career alongside a Ghanaian backroom staff, which includes assistant coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu and goalkeeping coach Eric Amponsah, who replaced Fatau Dauda after he joined Otto Addo’s staff for the Black Stars.
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