Trailblazing Victory in Kampala
The Bright Stars, South Sudan’s national blind football squad, defeated Uganda 3–0 in Kampala, clinching the first East African Blind Football Championship and drawing cheers from a stadium adjusting to the rattle of a bell-filled ball.
Coach Simon Madol Akol called the win “a signal that disability is no barrier to excellence” as players moved a step closer to their ambition of appearing at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
Sport as Social Inclusion in South Sudan
Formed only five years ago with two volunteers, the team now gathers forty athletes from Juba to Wau, forging bonds in a country still emerging from conflict and displacement.
The players rely on shouted “voy” commands and a jingling ball, developing an intuitive chemistry that has captivated families who rarely see disability represented positively in South Sudanese media.
Infrastructure Hurdles and Institutional Progress
Suitable pitches remain scarce at home; the Bright Stars still rent a single adapted field, and protective boards must be improvised from timber offcuts.
Yet November’s launch of the South Sudan Paralympic Committee, reached after a decade of lobbying, promises new funding pathways and formal access to regional qualifiers.
Regional Inspiration and Growing Support
Light for the World programme manager Elizabeth Atong says the Kampala triumph is “reshaping mindsets across East Africa by showing what inclusion looks like on grass, not paper”.
Social media clips of dribbles and goal celebrations have drawn tens of thousands of views, encouraging schools in Kenya and Rwanda to explore blind football clinics.
Eyes on Los Angeles 2028
The Bright Stars now target the African qualifiers set for 2026, aware that sustained training, equipment and travel budgets remain critical.
Captain Monybuny Mabor sums up the sentiment: “We cannot see the ball, but we see the future for our nation each time it rings.”