Women's Football in South Sudan: The Bright Starlets

The women's game is one of the fastest-growing parts of South Sudanese football, led by the senior national team known as the Bright Starlets and a national women's league that has run every year since its launch.

The Bright Starlets

The senior women's national team plays in CECAFA women's competitions and in qualifying for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and the FIFA Women's World Cup. In the qualifiers for WAFCON 2024 they were drawn against Egypt, one of the stronger sides in North Africa. Results against more experienced teams have sometimes been heavy, a reminder of how young the programme is, but each qualifying campaign gives players valuable international minutes.

The national women's league

South Sudan's national women's league reached its third edition in 2025. Yei Joint Stars were crowned national champions that year, underlining the strength of football in Central Equatoria. Youth competitions for girls at under-17 and under-20 level have been added alongside the national women's cup for the same age groups.

Players abroad

A small but growing number of South Sudanese women play professionally abroad. In recent seasons Bright Starlets players have joined clubs in Europe, including the Lithuanian top division, a path that more players are likely to follow as scouting improves.

Development projects

Several projects support girls' football. The association has worked with the United Nations Population Fund on campaigns that use football to promote gender equality, and FIFA supported a pilot programme in Juba on menstrual hygiene education for girls who play football. Coaching courses increasingly include female coaches, and FIFA's development funding requires member associations to invest part of their budget in women's football. Read more about FIFA and CAF development programmes.

Women's football across Africa

The Bright Starlets are part of a much bigger story. Africa's women's championship has expanded to twelve teams, and more nations than ever take part in qualifying. Our guide to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations explains the competition's history and format.