25/07/2025
Teng Deng vies for SSFF presidency with bold reform agenda
In the ongoing race to lead the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF), Teng Deng, a seasoned football coach and former international player, has taken the lead by advocating for self-sufficiency, unity, and gender equality in South Sudan football.
Having played professionally for 15 years in the UK and the USA, Deng is well-acquainted with global football standards. Yet, he expressed frustration over South Sudan’s limited progress on the international stage.
“I got tired of being asked the question is why South Sudan isn’t doing well? We've seen South Sudanese do well in other sports but represent other countries whether it's running, wrestling, football, basketball. What is the problem exactly?” Deng told The Radio Community (TRC) in an interview on Thursday.
His experience abroad inspired him to return home in 2020, hoping to contribute his expertise.
When opportunities didn’t materialize, Deng took the bold step to run for SSFF president.
“I made a decision actually in 2020 actually I came back and I wanted to come and work with a national team and you know help with my expertise But I never got the opportunity to and I tried again I never had opportunity to so I decided last year that I'm going to run and try to see what I can make the changes myself directly because I work directly with the clubs,” Deng said.
Central to Deng’s vision is a focus on building cohesion among players both within and outside the country.
“My immediate short-term focus is that trying to find our players that are outside of the country and the players that within the country and try to get a team working together,” he stated.
Deng aims to end underperformance by building a united football community and prioritizing youth development and infrastructure, from grassroots to professional levels.
On gender equality, Deng advocates for balanced representation.
“I've always been 50-50. I think we just divide it up and give our women the opportunity so that they can shine too,” he asserted.
He believes women bring crucial perspectives that enhance teamwork and decision-making across all football sectors.
The core focus of Deng’s campaign is achieving financial independence, as he pushes to move away from dependence on government funding.
“We rely on the government. Well, we've relied on the government too much, but I think we kind of have this we have our own independence in football, and I think that's what we want. If you win you make resources,” he explained.
“I'm trying to be a solution to some of these problems so yes, we rely on the government too much. We want to move away from government support because I think there's ways where we can make money in the football industry ourselves so we can support ourselves eventually.”
The SSFF election also features current president Lt-Gen. Augustino Madout Parek, former president Francis Amin Michael, and Munuki FC’s Molana Kamal John.
As South Sudan’s sports sector remains underdeveloped since independence in 2011, the outcome of this contest could shape the future of football and youth empowerment in the nation.
©️ The Radio Community (TRC)
