Fifa to send mission to South Sudan

South Sudan Football Federation president Chabur Goc Alei made a personal plea to Fifa for help

Fifa is sending a delegation to South Sudan to assist in governing the sport in the troubled east African country.

Civil war has wracked South Sudan and the situation remains unstable.

"Fifa will deploy a mission to help with the internal issues of the [football] federation," Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura told BBC Sport.

"It will look at a development programme and help to support the country to overcome the political and conflict situation through football."

The Fifa mission is a response to a direct appeal for assistance made to its president Gianni Infantino and Samoura during their recent visit to Abuja, Nigeria, where they met with the South Sudan Football Federation president Chabur Goc Alei.

"We really need the help of Fifa to help us stabilise the situation for football in South Sudan," Goc said, during his personal appeal to the Fifa president.

"Our situation is extremely difficult at the moment. We lost two members of Atlabara club, the champion team in our country, as a result of the recent conflict.

"We have launched, in conjunction with our friends and brothers across Africa, the #FootballForPeaceSouthSudan social media initiative, on Twitter and Facebook.

"But very practical and concrete measures need to be taken by Fifa to help us."

Fifa's delegation is expected to depart for South Sudan's capital, Juba, next week.