Nicolas Dupuis: Questions emerge on coach status with South Sudan

Two weeks before the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary round qualifiers kick-off, serious questions have emerged on the future of coach Nicolas Dupuis with South Sudan national team.

The uncertainty on the Frenchman’s job with the Bright Stars follows conflicting statements coming from the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF).

🚨 MEDIA ADVISORY: PRESS CONFERENCE 🚨

​The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) invites all members of the press and media houses to an important briefing regarding the current status of our Head Coach, Mr. Nicolas Dupuis. pic.twitter.com/MCuJerzn3e

— South Sudan Football Association (@ssfa_com) March 9, 2026

On Monday, the association issued an alert for a press conference scheduled for Tuesday at 10am East African time to explain the status of Dupuis.

The statement read: “The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) invites all members of the press and media houses to an important briefing regarding the current status of our Head Coach, Mr. Nicolas Dupuis. We encourage all media representatives to attend for firsthand information and official statements.”

The media briefing was scheduled for the head office of SSFF.

SFFF makes U-turn on press briefing

However, hours later, the FA issued an update, saying it had called off the press conference for reasons that were not explained clearly.

“The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) wishes to inform all members of the press and media houses that the briefing regarding Head Coach Mr. Nicolas Dupuis, originally scheduled for March 10, 2026, has been postponed,” reads the statement.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause. Our team is working to finalise details, and we remain committed to providing a transparent update.”

The federation has since promised to announce a new date for the media briefing scheduled for the same venue.

A tale of contradictions over national team coach

SSFF’s tale of contradiction comes two days after its national teams committee, and not Dupuis, announced the provisional national team squad for the 2027 AFCON qualifying matches against Djibouti at Juba National Stadium on March 26 and 29, 2026.

Interestingly, a flyer announcing the squad had the photo of the coach. Dupuis signed a three-year contract with SSFF in 2023.

The uncertainty regarding the future of South Sudan coach has come at the wrong time considering the limited time before the AFCON qualifiers.

The return fixture between the Bright Stars and Djibouti will take place on March 29 with the overall winner over the two legs proceeding to the group-stage of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the continental competition.

Nicolas Dupuis: 5 Major Concerns About His South Sudan Coaching Future

Two weeks before the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary round qualifiers kick off, serious questions have emerged about the future of coach Nicolas Dupuis with the South Sudan national team.

The uncertainty surrounding Nicolas Dupuis comes after conflicting statements from the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) regarding the French tactician’s current status with the Bright Stars.

On Monday, the federation announced that it would hold a press conference to clarify the situation surrounding Nicolas Dupuis, raising speculation about whether the coach will remain in charge of the national team ahead of the crucial AFCON qualifying matches.

The federation invited members of the media to attend the briefing scheduled for Tuesday at 10:00 AM East African Time, promising to provide clarity on the situation.

“The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) invites all members of the press and media houses to an important briefing regarding the current status of our Head Coach, Mr. Nicolas Dupuis,” the statement read.

“We encourage all media representatives to attend for firsthand information and official statements.”

The briefing was expected to take place at the federation’s headquarters in Juba, with journalists anticipating an official explanation regarding the future of Nicolas Dupuis.

Federation postpones press conference

However, only hours after announcing the press conference, the federation issued another statement saying the briefing had been postponed.

“The South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) wishes to inform all members of the press and media houses that the briefing regarding Head Coach Mr. Nicolas Dupuis, originally scheduled for March 10, 2026, has been postponed,” the federation said.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause. Our team is working to finalise details, and we remain committed to providing a transparent update.”

The federation added that a new date for the briefing would be communicated later, leaving many questions unanswered about the future of Nicolas Dupuis with the national team.

Confusion surrounding squad announcement

The confusion surrounding the coaching situation intensified after the federation’s national teams committee announced the provisional squad for the upcoming AFCON preliminary round qualifiers.

Interestingly, the announcement was made by the committee rather than Nicolas Dupuis, which raised further doubts about his current role within the team’s technical setup.

Despite this, the official promotional flyer used to announce the squad still featured the image of Nicolas Dupuis, adding to the uncertainty.

The French coach signed a three-year contract with the SSFF in 2023, and since then he has been working to build a competitive national team capable of improving South Sudan’s standing in African football.

AFCON qualifiers approaching quickly

The uncertainty surrounding the position of Nicolas Dupuis comes at a delicate time for the national team, with the 2027 AFCON preliminary qualifiers fast approaching.

South Sudan will face Djibouti in a two-legged tie scheduled to take place at Juba National Stadium on March 26 and March 29, 2026.

The winner of the two matches will advance to the group stage of the AFCON qualifiers, bringing the team one step closer to qualifying for the continental tournament.

Important moment for South Sudan football

The upcoming matches represent an important opportunity for the Bright Stars to make progress on the continental stage.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, making it the first time the tournament will be organised across three East African countries.

For South Sudan, reaching the main qualifying stage would be a significant achievement and could help boost the development of football in the country.

However, with uncertainty still surrounding Nicolas Dupuis, the federation faces pressure to quickly clarify the situation so the team can fully focus on preparation for the crucial AFCON qualifiers.