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Kwasi Appiah targets ‘life-changing’ World Cup qualification with Sudan

Sudan head coach James Kwasi Appiah has said qualifying the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be life-changing.
Kwasi Appiah guides Sudan to top of Group B in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Kwasi Appiah guides Sudan to top of Group B in 2026 World Cup qualifiers

The Ghanaian coach has wrought a transformation since taking charge of the Sudan national team in September last year.

The Nile Crocodiles have lost just once in eight matches since he took charge and they currently sit at the top of their World Cup qualifying group, ahead of Senegal.

Appiah has led Sudan to impressive wins over DR Congo, Mauritania and South Sudan while drawing with Togo in the qualifiers.

Kwasi Appiah wants to qualify for World Cup with Sudan

Although qualifying for the World Cup remains an arduous task, Appiah believes achieving it will leave a lasting impact on Sudan and his players.

“Reaching the World Cup would be a great springboard for the development of football in the country. Administratively, it would make things much easier,” he told FIFA.

“It could also change the lives of my players. Currently, there are only two professionals in the squad. If we were to qualify for a World Cup, they could perform on the biggest stage and then tell themselves that they too were capable of laying in Europe.

“That’s something that would transform their mindset. You cannot imagine how much happiness a World Cup participation would bring to all of Sudan.”

Meanwhile, Appiah has experience in guiding a team to the Mundial after becoming the first indigenous coach to qualify Ghana for the World Cup in 2014.

He was, however, fired following the Black Stars shambolic showing at the tournament in Brazil and was reappointed for a second spell as Ghana coach in 2017, a post he held until his contract expired in December 2019.

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