Sudan national football team will travel to Doha for a training camp as part of preparations for the qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
The camp is expected to include a friendly match against the Qatar national football team as Sudan continue preparations under coach James Kwesi Appiah.
According to reports, the Sudanese squad is scheduled to arrive in the Qatari capital in mid-May for what is viewed as an important stage in the team’s rebuilding process ahead of future continental and international competitions.
The planned friendly against Qatar is expected to provide Sudan with a significant test against a side preparing for the next World Cup finals, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico between 11 June and 19 July.
Major squad changes under Appiah
The Doha camp will also continue a period of transition within the Sudan national team setup, with Appiah overseeing major adjustments to the squad.
Reports indicated that the coaching staff has introduced several new faces in place of experienced senior players as part of a broader rebuilding strategy led by the Sudanese football federation.
The move signals the beginning of what officials reportedly see as a transitional phase for the “Falcons of Jediane”, with younger and newer players being integrated into the national team environment.
The same group that recently participated in a training camp in Jeddah is expected to form the core of the squad travelling to Doha. During that earlier camp, Sudan played two matches against the reserve side of the Saudi Arabia national football team.
Sources cited by the winwin platform stated that the upcoming match against Qatar will feature many of those same players, although the squad will also be strengthened by professionals playing in overseas leagues.
Appiah is understood to be keen to maximise the value of the training camp by blending locally based players with foreign-based professionals following the recent restructuring of the team.
Friendly against Qatar seen as key test
The proposed match against Qatar is expected to serve as a major assessment for Sudan’s evolving squad against strong opposition.
Qatar, widely known by the nickname “Al-Annabi”, are also continuing preparations linked to future international competitions and are expected to conclude their internal camp with the fixture against Sudan.
For Sudan, the match offers an opportunity to evaluate the progress of the new-look team in a competitive setting before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.
The Sudanese football federation had previously received a request to face the Argentina national football team in a friendly match as part of Argentina’s own World Cup preparations.
However, the federation chose not to proceed with that fixture, instead opting to organise a shorter preparatory camp in Jeddah while major changes were being implemented within the national squad.
Attention will now turn to Doha, where Appiah and his coaching staff hope the latest camp and friendly encounter can help establish momentum for Sudan’s next phase on the international stage.
