Sudan — Ethiopia
Sudan and Ethiopia meet twice in Group J of qualifying, home and away.
On ranking alone Sudan start ahead, 117 to 143.
Previous meetings
Sudan lead the head-to-head, 4 wins to 1 from 7 meetings, with 2 drawn.
| Meetings | 7 |
|---|---|
| Sudan | 4 |
| Ethiopia | 1 |
| Draws | 2 |
Last meeting: December 25, 2024, Sudan 2–1 Ethiopia (African Nations Championship - Qualification).
Source: API-Football
Both legs
| Matchday | Home | Away | Match window | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sudan | Ethiopia | September 21 – October 6, 2026 | to be confirmed |
| 5 | Ethiopia | Sudan | March 22 – March 30, 2027 | to be confirmed |
Kick-off times are shown as to be confirmed because CAF has published windows, not individual dates.
The group context
Both sides play six qualifiers in Group J. How many go through has not been announced.
Common questions
- When do Sudan and Ethiopia play?
- Two matches, on matchdays 1 and 5, inside the September 21 – October 6, 2026 and March 22 – March 30, 2027 windows. CAF has published the pairings and the windows but not the dates or kick-off times: those are agreed federation by federation a few weeks before each window. We show them as to be confirmed rather than invent them.
- What is the head-to-head record between Sudan and Ethiopia?
- They have met 7 time(s) in the records we hold. Sudan lead 4–1 with 2 drawn, the last on December 25, 2024. Those meetings came in earlier qualifying campaigns and friendlies, not in this cycle, so they carry no weight in the group table.
- Which side is stronger on paper?
- Sudan is the higher-ranked side, at #117 against #143 — a gap of 26 places on the FIFA list published on July 20, 2026. Over six qualifying matches that gap matters less than it looks: home advantage, travel and squad availability during international windows decide more African qualifiers than ranking does.
- Where can I watch Sudan vs Ethiopia?
- No broadcaster is confirmed for either country yet. Rights to the 2027 edition are almost entirely unsold: so far only the national broadcasters of Kenya and Tanzania have been named. Lists you find elsewhere describe the 2025 tournament in Morocco.