The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) has officially announced that it has mutually agreed to part ways with senior men’s national team head coach Nicolas Dupuis.
It ended his tenure with the country’s national side, the South Sudan national football team, popularly known as the Bright Stars.
The announcement was made during a press briefing at the federation’s headquarters in Juba by the Acting Chairperson of the National Team Committee and International Matches Committee, Abraham Ajo Kuol.
According to the federation, the decision followed the signing of a mutual settlement and release agreement between both parties on March 11, 2026, formally concluding Dupuis’ 28-month tenure as head coach.
Speaking to journalists, Kuol said the federation decided to address the media to clarify growing speculation regarding the future of the national team’s technical bench.
“On behalf of the federation and on my own behalf, we wanted to satisfy the media houses and the public because we have been very quiet and people are putting here and there what they think is right,” Kuol said.
He emphasized that the departure was reached amicably and should not be interpreted as a dismissal or contractual dispute.
“This is not a termination of contract. It is a mutual agreement between the federation and the coach, and there are no financial issues between the two parties,” he added.
In its official statement, the South Sudan Football Federation commended Dupuis for his professionalism and commitment during his time with the national team, acknowledging the role he played in the development of the Bright Stars.
“Coach Nicolas concluded his tenure after 28 months of dedicated service, during which he demonstrated professionalism and commitment to the development of the national team. The federation expresses its sincere appreciation for his valuable contribution and wishes him every success in his future endeavors,” the statement read.
Dupuis, a French tactician, guided the Bright Stars through several regional and continental competitions, including qualification matches organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
During his time in charge, he worked to strengthen the squad by blending locally based players with members of the South Sudanese diaspora playing abroad, a strategy that federation officials say helped expand the team’s talent pool.
Interim Coach to Lead Upcoming Matches
With important fixtures approaching, the federation confirmed that assistant coach Ashu will temporarily take charge of the team.
The Bright Stars are scheduled to face Djibouti national football team on March 26 and March 29 at the Juba National Stadium in crucial matches that could determine the country’s progress in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign.
Officials said the interim arrangement will ensure continuity within the technical bench while the federation works toward appointing a permanent head coach.
“The immediate priority is to prepare the team for the upcoming matches,” Kuol said. “At the same time, the federation will take the necessary steps to identify a long-term technical solution for the national team.”
Federation officials also noted that the national team program continues to receive support from partners, including sponsor TriStar, which contributes to covering expenses related to the team and technical staff.
In a farewell message shared during the press conference, Dupuis expressed gratitude to the federation, players, journalists, and supporters who backed him throughout his time in charge.
“Hello everyone, it was very important for me to write these few words to say goodbye to you all today. Indeed, today our paths will diverge,” Dupuis said.
The outgoing coach reflected on some of the team’s achievements during his tenure, highlighting victories against Congo, Rwanda and Kenya as memorable milestones.
He also pointed to draws against Togo, Mauritania and Sudan as significant results that demonstrated the team’s growing competitiveness on the continental stage.
“My players can be proud of having, for the first time in the country’s history, earned five points in the qualifiers of major competitions,” Dupuis noted.
He further acknowledged the role of journalists and football supporters in promoting the national team and urged them to continue supporting the players.
“I would also like to acknowledge the journalists without whom we cannot function and ask them to continue supporting our players who truly deserve it,” he said.
Dupuis concluded his message by wishing the Bright Stars success in their upcoming fixtures and expressing hope that the team will continue progressing in African football competitions.
