By Ginaba Lino
YEI Joint Stars Women’s Football Club has expressed confidence in its preparations for the upcoming CECAFA Women’s Club Championship in Rwanda, with club officials setting their sights on reaching the knockout stage for the first time while calling for stronger support from the government, corporate partners, and football fans across South Sudan.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba, Club President Eng. Lemi Stephen said the team has learned valuable lessons from previous regional tournaments and is determined to deliver its best performance at this year’s championship.
Despite participating in past editions, YEI Joint Stars has never advanced beyond the group stage, a record the club is determined to change.
“The most painful thing I can say as a president is that we have not progressed beyond the group stage. But this time, with the experience of the girls and the number of years they have been together, we believe we have a stronger team capable of achieving something better.”
Stephen said the club has strengthened its squad by recruiting around ten new players, combining experienced homegrown talent with players signed from other clubs to improve the team’s competitiveness at the regional level.
He noted that the club has intentionally delayed officially unveiling the new signings until preparations are complete.
“We have so far registered about ten players. This time, we have a strategy. We have blended our homegrown players with experienced players from outside so that we can improve the quality of the team and compete effectively at the regional level.”
The club president acknowledged that financing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the team. He explained that YEI Joint Stars is largely sustained through voluntary contributions from its leadership, who personally support expenses related to player welfare, training, and competition preparations.
To maximize the team’s chances of success, the club plans to arrive in Kigali at least two weeks before the tournament begins, allowing players sufficient time to acclimatize and fine-tune their preparations.
Stephen also revealed that the club is reviewing its technical bench and working to secure the strongest possible coaching team. Experienced trainers have already joined the squad to oversee physical conditioning and goalkeeping development ahead of the competition.
Calling for nationwide support, club officials urged government institutions, the private sector, and football supporters to stand behind the team, emphasizing that YEI Joint Stars will be representing South Sudan on the regional stage.
The CECAFA Women’s Club Championship will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 22 August to 6 September, bringing together leading women’s football clubs from across the East and Central African region. YEI Joint Stars will be aiming to make history by becoming the first South Sudanese women’s club to progress beyond the tournament’s group stage.