Forced into exile by the war tearing its country apart since April 2023, Sudanese football has found an unexpected new home… in Kigali. The country’s two biggest clubs, Al-Hilal and Al-Merrikh, have been invited to join the Rwandan Premier League for the 2025–2026 season. It’s an unprecedented decision by Rwanda’s Football Federation, backed by the African Confederation, just as the tournament gets underway. Rwanda, which has made sport a pillar of its diplomacy, is positioning itself as a haven for competition in Africa – much to the delight of the many Sudanese refugees living in the country.
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