Women's football in Sudan - 8th April 2022

This is Sudan's women's football team. They're playing an international game. But until 2019, there was no women's team.

Dictator Omar al-Bashir stopped women playing football. He lost power in 2019. Then Sudan's women's football team started.

But the team had problems. The army took control again in October 2021. They had to cancel training. And they missed a game with Algeria.

Team coach Salma al-Majidi talks about the problems.

Salma al-Majidi: "The security situation has greatly affected us. A match against Algeria was cancelled due to the security situation. Even during this last period we couldn't properly prepare – and the women's Sudan Football Association is new. We had one or two days, practice days, cancelled due to the protests and the insecurity."

Players were worried after the army takeover. The ban on women's football could come back. But this didn't happen. And the army promises to leave politics next year.

The Sudan women's team are very new. They lost the game with South Sudan 6-nil. But they played well, says Amy Lasu. She plays for South Sudan. They were happy to play Sudan's team.

Amy Lasu: "We came prepared, we were fully prepared. I mean, it's been hard work. For the time we've been training, we've tried so hard to, to do what the coach wants us to do. It, It's a great feeling for us. It's a moment to be proud of because it's the first time we're playing Sudan."