By Andrew Warshaw
February 13 – Seven months after becoming an independent country following a bloody civil war, South Sudan has been admitted as the 54th member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), paving the way for it to be named as the 209th FIFA nation.
South Sudan, which declared independence from Sudan last July, was welcomed into the football family by CAF President Issa Hayatou (pictured centre) at the Confederation’s annual congress and could be playing in official tournaments in two years’ time.
“We are a country that has just come out of war,” said South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) President Oliver Benjamin (pictured left).
Benjamin put into stark perspective the fledging nation’s difficulties.
“We would love to have an Olympic Stadium in our capital…but above all we lack even the balls and the T-shirts.
“We don’t have those things in our country.
“Some of our players use their socks, put clothes in them, wrap them up and play with it.”
Full membership of FIFA is expected to be granted in 2014, after which South Sudan can compete in World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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