Al Hilal crowned Sudan Cup champions after Al-Merrikh forfeit final

Al Hilal Omdurman have officially been crowned champions of the Sudan Cup after arch-rivals Al Merrikh failed to show up for the final, leading to a 3-0 win being awarded to Al-Hilal by default.

The final was scheduled to be played between the two Sudanese giants, but Al Merrikh had previously announced their refusal to participate in protest over the Sudanese Football Association’s handling of key issues—most notably, the lack of consultation regarding the timing and venue of the Elite League.

Earlier, both clubs had jointly released a statement declaring their mutual withdrawal from the cup final. However, while Al-Hilal eventually decided to reverse course and appear for the match, Al Merrikh stuck to its stance and did not attend, prompting the SFA to award the title to Al Hilal with a default 3-0 scoreline.

With this victory, Al Hilal have completed a historic domestic double, having already clinched the 2025 Sudan Elite League title just days earlier with a commanding 4-0 win over Al  Merrikh in the final round of the league campaign.

It marks a dominant season for the Blue Wave, who now hold both major domestic trophies in Sudanese football.