Sudan’s two most successful football clubs, Al-Hilal SC and Al-Merrikh SC, have jointly condemned the decision to halt television coverage of the country’s Elite League, calling for urgent intervention from national authorities to resolve a dispute that has left supporters unable to follow the competition.
The two clubs issued strongly worded statements rejecting the position of the Sudan Football Association, which has refused to allow the continued broadcasting of league matches amid an escalating financial crisis linked to television rights.
Al-Merrikh, widely known as the “Red Club”, announced it was prepared to give up all television broadcast revenue connected to its matches if that would help restore coverage of the competition. Its long-time rivals Al-Hilal, referred to as the “Blue Club” and “Blue Wave”, adopted a similar stance and appealed directly to the authorities to step in.
The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Sudan, where football is increasingly being viewed as a symbol of recovery and unity following the outbreak of war in April 2023.
Speaking to Al-Merrikh’s official website, club board member Samer Omarabi criticised the federation’s decision to prevent supporters from watching the tournament, arguing that the current competition carries significance far beyond sport.
He said the Elite League represented an opportunity to demonstrate the gradual return of normal life in the country and described football as one of the strongest tools for creating social unity and restoring hope.
Omarabi added that televising the matches on national channels would help revive public morale, insisting that sport could not be separated from wider national concerns.
He also stressed that Al-Merrikh’s leadership had already declared its willingness to surrender its share of broadcasting income if it would help ensure the tournament reached supporters across the country.
According to Omarabi, the club considers the interests of Sudan and the fans to be more important than financial considerations.
Al-Hilal echoed many of the same concerns in a statement published on its official website. The club criticised the football association for failing to handle the situation responsibly and argued that staging the Elite League in the capital was intended to send a powerful message that life in Sudan is gradually stabilising.
The club said the competition serves the national interest and aligns with wider state efforts to show that the process of rebuilding normal life is advancing quickly.
Al-Hilal further accused the football association of depriving Sudanese fans of the chance to witness what it described as a historic tournament, saying the federation’s actions did not reflect the national spirit or the desire to provide a service to supporters.
The broadcasting suspension follows a serious financial disagreement between Sudanese television and the football association. Coverage was stopped during the second round of the competition after matches involving Al-Hilal and Al-Merrikh had already been shown during the opening round.
The federation had previously announced plans to broadcast both clubs’ fixtures during the tournament, raising expectations among supporters before the service was abruptly halted.
The situation has triggered widespread criticism from fans, many of whom accused the football association of failing to provide an alternative broadcasting solution through its official platforms while simultaneously preventing the clubs themselves from airing the matches independently.
