Darfur United Tryouts

Help make the first U.S.-based tryouts a success!

There is an exciting opportunity to support the first-ever Darfur United Men's Soccer Team (DU) tryouts in North America, which took place over the weekend of July 27-29.  


The two-day tryouts were an opportunity to identify potential players that might be invited to become available to play for Darfur United in future games and tournaments. Experienced and skilled Darfuri soccer players, born in Darfur, Sudan, or elsewhere to Darfuri parents, were welcome to participate.


We are seeking a total of $5,000 to cover expenses for the weekend. You can be a part of the success of the first-ever DU tryouts in the U.S.


Tryouts, led by DU Head Coach Mark Hodson, were held at El Camino Community College and Hermosa Beach Community Center. Dozens of Darfuris living across the U.S. applied to participate, and the coaching staff is finalizing the list of strong players to add to our exciting core that is in Sweden.


Not only is Darfur United an opportunity for the refugees to represent their people while playing the “beautiful game,” it is also a movement—a movement to bring hope, inspiration, and joy to the people of Darfur.

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More about the team:

The original Darfur United is a men’s soccer team of resettled refugees from Darfur, Sudan, based in Östersund, Sweden. In a joint effort with the Darfuri refugee community, the UN Refugee Agency, and soccer fans, iACT formed DU in 2012. That year, iACT took the team from refugee camps in eastern Chad to Iraqi-Kurdistan to participate in the Viva World Cup, in which the team competed and scored the Darfuri community’s first international goal. Two years later, iACT facilitated the team’s participation in the 2014 CONIFA World Football Cup in Östersund, Sweden. During this tournament, DU players shared their stories with the world and iACT began forming partnerships with Swedish communities. Thirteen of the original Darfur United players were able to claim asylum in Sweden in 2014.

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