Al-Hilal are awaiting a response from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over security arrangements for their upcoming meeting with Sidama Buna, with the Sudanese club pushing for the match to be moved outside Ethiopia or played behind closed doors.
The Al-Hilal management has written to the head of CAF’s Security and Safety Committee seeking details of the measures that will be put in place to protect the team’s delegation when it travels to face the Ethiopian side in Dire Dawa.
The Sudanese club has continued to press CAF for assurances over the safety of its players and officials, while also arguing that the match should not give Sidama Buna a home advantage under the current circumstances.
Al-Hilal are seeking sufficient guarantees before committing fully to their trip to Ethiopia. The club would prefer the match to be transferred to a venue outside the country or played without supporters if it remains in Ethiopia.
The issue is particularly important for Al-Hilal because the Sudanese club has had to play its own continental fixtures away from home for several years.
Like other Sudanese clubs and national teams, Al-Hilal have been forced to travel across the continent for their matches because of the unstable security situation in Sudan. The club therefore believes that removing Sidama Buna’s home advantage would create a fairer situation between the two teams.
The team, captained by Mohamed Abdel Rahman, could see that balance achieved either by moving the fixture outside Ethiopia or by holding it without spectators.
Al-Hilal are now expecting a response from CAF in the coming hours, with indications that the match could be played behind closed doors.
Despite the uncertainty, the club has already started making arrangements for travel to Ethiopia, with only 10 days remaining before the scheduled fixture. The preparations are intended to ensure that the team is ready regardless of any late decision regarding the venue or conditions surrounding the match.
At the same time, Al-Hilal’s management continues to press CAF to consider moving the game outside Ethiopia. There are also expectations that both legs of the tie could eventually be played in Kigali.
The club has been preparing for the tie after resuming training in Kigali immediately following the completion of its short camp in Tunis.
Al-Hilal’s management has also put contingency measures in place for different scenarios. The club’s general secretariat has completed the necessary travel arrangements in case the match remains at its scheduled venue in Ethiopia or is transferred to another stadium.
The uncertainty surrounding the fixture has not changed the club’s wider objective. Al-Hilal remain focused on overcoming Sidama Buna and reaching the group stage of the African Champions League.
For now, however, the Sudanese side is waiting for CAF’s decision on the security arrangements, while continuing to push for conditions it believes will protect its delegation and provide a level playing field for both teams.
