South Sudan suspend coach Nicolas Dupuis after post-match outburst

The South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) has suspended national team coach Nicolas Dupuis for 15 days, citing a breach of contractual obligations and professional conduct following comments he made after their 5-0 defeat to Senegal in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

In an official statement released on Sunday, the SSFA said the French coach’s post-match remarks violated Article N (3) of his professional coaching contract, prompting immediate disciplinary action.

The federation apologised to fans and stakeholders for what it described as a “string of unsatisfactory results” and the subsequent controversy surrounding the coach’s comments.

The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) wishes to sincerely apologize to our loyal supporters, partners and the wider football community for the recent string of unsatisfactory results and public statements made following our FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Senegal, the statement read.

We remain deeply grateful for your continued trust and support as we take steps to maintain professionalism, discipline, and accountability within our national teams.

The federation confirmed that its Executive Committee held an emergency meeting — its third extraordinary session of 2025 — to review both the team’s technical performance and the head coach’s public statement.

After deliberation, the committee resolved to impose a 15-day suspension on Dupuis and initiate a formal investigation.

The head coach is hereby suspended from his duties for a period of fifteen (15) days for failure to fulfill his contractual obligations and violation of Article N (3) of the professional coaching contract, the federation stated.

An independent investigation committee has been set up to examine the issue in full and deliver recommendations to the Executive Committee within the suspension period.

In the meantime, the assistant coach will take charge of the Bright Stars on an interim basis to ensure stability in team preparations.

The SSFA reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining “professionalism, transparency, and integrity” in all football activities, pledging to rebuild public trust and strengthen the national team’s structure.

Dupuis, who took charge of the Bright Stars in 2024, has faced increasing scrutiny over recent results, with the heavy defeat to Senegal proving to be a tipping point.

South Sudan will return to action on Monday, October 13, when they face Togo in their final fixture of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.