The mysterious Omdurman, host city of Nile basin cup

By Gishinga Njoroge

During the current run-up to Fifa World Cup time in Brazil, it is intriguing to be in Omdurman; that deeply historic part of a sprawling metropolis the international world refers to as Khartoum. 

Apart from Cairo and the pyramids upstream the Nile –– which finally becomes one river after the merger of the Blue and the White Nile at Omdurman – there is perhaps no other place in Africa with such amazing history. Actually, in the very old days, Sudan and Egypt were one; and Sudan, down to about Khartoum, was practically just “lower Egypt.”

Football wise today, Omdurman is chiefly known for its famous clubs, Al Merreikh and Al Hilal. They are so huge in many aspects that the population of the entire country gets passionate about one or the other.

There are many other football clubs in Sudan, and indeed in different states, but even in those areas the prominent sides are named Al Merreikh or Al Hilal and draw spiritual inspiration from the “mother” sides in Omdurman.

On one hand River Nile divides Omdurman and Khartoum and on the other, before a picturesque confluence, the Blue and the White Niles demarcate Omdurman from the third part of the Metropolis, Khartoum Bahri. Omdurman has the largest population (3 million), Khartoum 2.5 m and Bahri (1.6 million).

Old Omdurman is the grand dad of them all. Bustling and largely chaotic, its pride is always bare no matter what modernity Khartoum across the river, with its sky-scraper projects, tries to throw up.

The homes of Al Merreikh and Al Hilal lie close in a crowded neighbourhood. El Merreikh’s is a 44,000 lovely stadium that is in continuous upgrading. Al Hilal’s is smaller, can’t hold their passionate following and clearly bursts at the seams. They try to keep up, but Merreikh as miles ahead.

Larger following

Yet, if there is one club that can claim a slightly larger following it would be Hilal, champions of Sudan 27 times since the modern league in 1962 and finalists in the African club championship in 1987 and 1992.

But founded in 1927, Al Merreikh is one of Africa’s oldest football clubs and have won the Sudan title not a bad 19 times, completely dominated the domestic “Cup” competition winning it a record 24 times compared to seven only of Al Hilal. And Merreikh, unlike Hilal [founded 1930] have an Africa title, the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989.

Anyway, Al Merreikh/Al Hilal rivalry and bragging rights aside, these Omdurman football clubs gave birth to African football as it is known now.

Around the people who ran football on the same premises of the two Omdurman soccer clubs the African Football Confederation (CAF) was formed on February 8 1957.

By then there was only one other continental football confederation – Union of European Football Associations.  UEFA is too far ahead in most aspects that it is hard to believe that the African body is a mere three years younger.

At the hosting of Sudan, Egyptian, Ethiopian and South African football federation delegates formed CAF in Khartoum. This was a realisation of the dream of African pioneers who mooted the CAF formation at a meeting in Avendia Hotel, Lisbon (apparently during a Fifa international gathering) on June 7 1956 at which the Somalia FA was also present.

The first CAF headquarters was situated in Khartoum, Sudan for some months until a fire outbreak in the offices of the Sudan Football Association when the organisation moved to Cairo.

Currently CAF, the biggest of Fifa’s six confederations, has 56 members. CAF has five slots out of the 32 available since the 1998 Fifa World Cup in France, this increased to six in the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa, to include the hosts. The number of places returned to five for this year’s event in Brazil.

Of the four founder members of CAF, Sudan and Ethiopia, prominent members of the Africa body and formidable teams in the beginnings when they won the Africa Cup of Nations, have not been to the World Cup.

Yet, as the countdown to Brazil lingers, memories of World Cup quests fought in Omdurman are very fresh. Sudan, African champions in 1970, have never been lucky in the quest for a World Cup place, but an intriguing battle raged on their own backyard for the last African fight for a place in the 210 Fifa World Cup.

A final qualification

Algeria and Egypt were set for a contest in Omdurman’s Al Merreikh Stadium. They were replaying a final qualification tie cancelled in Cairo where Algerian players and supporters were violently attacked.

Thousands of Egyptian and Algerian fans flowed into Sudan with special charter flights for the match. The attendees included officials, ministers, actors and singers from both sides of the aisle including the personal representative of the Algerian president Abdul-Aziz Bouteflika, his brother and the two sons of the then Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Non-Algerian and Egyptian fans were urged to stay well away from El Merreikh Stadium where, apart from the normal Police contingent manning soccer matches, 15,000 extra troops kept tight control over 35,000 supporters in the stadium.

But after Egypt capitulated 0-1 to Algeria and trouble broke out after the end of the match armed security forces fired tear gas to chase away thousands of fans waiting outside.

Most residents of Omdurman relished the defeat of neighbours Egypt who’s national and club sides traditionally have the edge over Sudan sides. They were pleased with the Egyptian disillusionment.

The vast majority of Sudanese appeared to rally behind Algerians and when riots broke out, they were caught up in the melee.

People in Omdurman absolutely love football, playing and watching being about the only recreation available to a conservative society where there is no alcohol drinking or elaborate dancing.

Cecafa’s new Nile Basin Cup tournament will most certainly be a welcome mix to the entertainment as Omdurman residents sit around cool evenings in the desert climate to discuss among other things the upcoming World Cup and the teams and players they will be supporting in Brazil.

Half of Sudan, however, are meanwhile at the same time seriously focused on the (Africa club) Champions League.

 That is because Al Hilal of Omdurman are in the final Group Stage. Hilal were serious at training until Thursday when they left for Cairo for their next Group “A” match against Egypt’s Zamalek.

Al Hilal were on a high when they last weekend edged recent back-to-back Africa champions TP Mazembe of Lubumbashi (DR Congo) 1-0 at the Hilal Stadium, Omdurman.

Source of envy

Al Hilal’s current good form is a great source of envy to Al Merreikh supporters who prefer to turn their focus on the ongoing Nile Basin Cup –– which many view as a matter of fact that they will win.

It may not be certain with how much importance other teams such as Kenya’s AFC Leopards, Uganda’s SC Victoria University and Tanzania’s Mbeya City , will be approaching the Nile Basin Cup tournament but if they take any less seriously they may be steamrolled by Al Merreikh.

Leopards have appeared focused and enthusiastic about doing well here. Back at home, the beginning to this year’s Kenyan Premier League has been awful. They are 12 points behind leaders Gor Mahia and time to equal or better their second placing at the end of last season could be sleeping away.

A two-week sojourn –– if they go all the way to the final –– here in Omdurman could do them a lot of good in correcting their mistakes and bonding with a new coach, Dutchman Hendrik De Jong, who joined them just hours before boarding the plane to here last Wednesday.