It was the kind of comeback that belongs to football folklore. On a day when the odds seemed stacked against him, Francis Amin Michael stormed back into the spotlight, crushing incumbent Augustino Maduot Parek with a decisive 26–12 victory to reclaim the presidency of the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF).
The margin was emphatic, a 14-vote landslide that stunned the football establishment and left Maduot’s camp reeling.
Many had considered the incumbent the favorite, but Amin, once written off as the underdog, turned the tables in dramatic fashion.
The moment the results were announced, whispers filled the hall: “Never over until the final whistle.”
The vote, cast by 38 delegates representing local football associations, referees, coaches, and women’s football committees, was overseen by observers from FIFA, CAF, the National Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the South Sudan Olympic Committee.
But no outside witness could soften the shock that swept through Maduot’s supporters when the tally was declared.
For Amin, the win was not just a return, it was redemption. Having previously led the federation between 2017 and 2021 before being unseated by Maduot, his comeback was both personal and political.
“I will walk hand in hand with everyone. I’m a person who believes in teamwork,” Amin said, striking a unifying tone as his supporters erupted in celebration.
Maduot, visibly shaken but composed, conceded defeat with grace.
“I have been defeated and I concede that. This defeat will not send me away from football, I will remain in this sport,” he said.
Beyond the numbers, Amin’s victory carries heavy symbolic weight. It has reopened hope for grassroots football development, stronger domestic leagues, and continued investment in the Bright Stars, South Sudan’s national team, which has shown sparks of potential on the continental stage.
But for now, this election will be remembered less for policy and more for drama, the underdog who roared back, the favorite who fell, and a result that shook the very foundations of South Sudanese football.
