The tournament, organised and sponsored by businessman Wol Dut Anguei and scheduled to start in late May 2026, is expected to bring together football teams from the five counties of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State. Organisers recently unveiled the tournament fixtures in Juba, setting the stage for what was initially promoted as a unifying sporting event for the Aweil community.
However, the competition has quickly become a source of tension after the leadership of AYU publicly distanced itself from the initiative, accusing the organisers of sidelining key stakeholders and rushing preparations without proper consultation.
In a statement seen by this outlet, AYU said it was neither involved in the organisation nor coordination of the tournament and rejected any association with the leadership managing the event.
“The leadership of Aweil Youth Union in Juba wishes to officially inform the general public, youth, community leaders, and all stakeholders that AYU is not part of the organisation, management, coordination, or implementation of the upcoming Aweil Counties Tournament currently being organised by another body,” the statement partly read.
The union argued that the preparations lacked transparency and adequate consensus among community stakeholders, warning that poorly coordinated communal activities could trigger confusion and deepen divisions among young people.
“During the meeting, AYU raised concerns regarding the manner in which the tournament preparations were being rushed without sufficient coordination and clear understanding among all stakeholders,” the statement added.
“The union emphasized that organizing communal activities without proper arrangements may create misunderstanding, confusion, disunity among young people and possible security challenges that may eventually become a burden to the state leadership.”
Despite the criticism, tournament organisers have insisted the event will proceed as planned.
Speaking on Sunday, tournament president and sponsor Wol Dut Anguei praised Thiik Thiik Mayardit for supporting the initiative and helping secure Juba Stadium for the opening match.
“I would like to thank Hon. Thiik Thiik Mayardit for standing with my leadership and supporting us in securing the opening of the match at Juba Stadium,” Wol said.
Thiik Thiik remains an influential political figure in both Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states, partly due to his political background and his widely known family ties to President Salva Kiir Mayardit. His endorsement of the tournament is likely to strengthen the organisers’ position amid mounting criticism from sections of the youth leadership.
Wol also announced significant cash rewards for participating teams, saying the tournament champions would receive 150 million South Sudanese Pounds (SSP), while runners-up would receive 100 million SSP. He added that the prize pool could increase if additional funding becomes available.
The disagreement has since sparked heated exchanges within the Aweil community in Juba, with rival camps trading accusations over the management of funds used in previous community tournaments.
While supporters of the competition argue that the event will promote peace, unity, and social cohesion among young people from Northern Bahr el Ghazal, critics fear the ongoing fallout could instead deepen existing divisions.
