South Sudan Football Presidential Race Narrows to Three Candidates

(JUBA) – The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) has officially disqualified Mr Teng Deng from contesting in the upcoming presidential election, leaving three candidates in the race for the top football leadership post in the country.

The announcement was made on 30 July 2025 by the SSFF Electoral Committee, which cited several violations of the SSFF Statute and Electoral Code as the basis for its decision. The Committee stated that Mr Deng failed to meet key eligibility requirements necessary for presidential candidacy.

Among the cited reasons was the absence of a recognised academic qualification. The Committee said Mr Deng did not hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university, which is a minimum requirement under Article 38 (4) (iii) of the SSFF Statute.

In addition, he failed to submit four formal letters of support from SSFF member associations, a mandatory requirement under Article 31 (3) and Article 8 (3) of the Electoral Code.

Furthermore, Mr Deng did not file a conflict of interest declaration, which is required by Article A (3) of the SSFF Statute. This declaration is designed to ensure that candidates do not hold positions or interests that could compromise the independence or integrity of the federation.

While Mr Deng has been disqualified, the Electoral Code allows him three days from the date of the announcement to file an appeal to the SSFF Secretariat, under Article 9 (2) of the 2025 Electoral Code. If he fails to appeal within this period, the disqualification will be considered final.

With Mr Deng now out of the race, the competition for SSFF presidency will proceed with three candidates namely incumbent Augustino Maduot, who is seeking a second term, former president Francis Amin, who aims to return to the position after losing in the previous election and first-time contender Kamal Akol, a lawyer new to SSFF politics.