{{Short description|Sudanese football club}} {{Other uses|Al Merreikh (disambiguation){{!}}Al Merreikh}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox football club | nickname = ''Al-Zaeem الزعيم'' (The Chief)<br /> The Red Devils<br /> ''Al-Ahmar Al-Wahhaj'' (The Glowing Red) | image = | image_size = 160px | caption = Logomerrikh | ground = [[Al-Merrikh Stadium]]<br />[[Omdurman]], [[Khartoum State]], [[Sudan]] | capacity = 43,000<ref>https://archive.today/20130805122747/http://mobile.nation.co.ke/Sports/Southern-Sudan-enjoys-sports-potential------------------/-/1294/1090366/-/format/xhtml/item/0/-/apcaiuz/-/index.html</ref> | season = [[2022–23 Sudan Premier League|2022–23]] | current = | pattern_la1 = _yellowshoulders | pattern_la2 = _redshoulders | pattern_b2 = | pattern_b3 = _yellow | pattern_ra1 = _yellowshoulders | pattern_ra2 = _redshoulders | pattern_ra3 = _yellowshoulders | leftarm1 = FF0000 | leftarm2 = FFFF00 | leftarm3 = 13a30b | body1 = FF0000 | body2 = FFFF00 | body3 = 13a30b | rightarm1 = FF0000 | rightarm2 = FFFF00 | rightarm3 = 13a30b | shorts1 = FF0000 | shorts2 = FFFF00 | shorts3 = 13a30b | socks1 = FF0000 | socks2 = FFFF00 | socks3 = 13a30b | clubname = Al-Merrikh | fullname = Al-Merrikh Sporting Club | founded = {{start date and age|1908|df=y}} as Al-Maslamah<br />{{start date and age|1927|df=y}} as Al–Merrikh SC | chrtitle = President | chairman = [[Mujahed Sahl]] | manager = [[Darko Novic]] | league = [[Rwanda Premier League]] (temporarily) | position = 2nd of 18 | website = | pattern_la3 = _yellowshoulders | pattern_b1 = ||| }}
'''Al-Merrikh Sporting Club''' ({{langx|ar|نادي المريخ الرياضي}}) is a Sudanese professional [[association football|football]] club based in the city of [[Omdurman]]. Their home stadium is [[Al-Merrikh Stadium]], which is locally known as The Red Castle. Founded in 1908, Al-Merrikh is one of the oldest football clubs in Africa and competes in the [[Sudan Premier League]]. The club currently competes in the [[Rwanda Premier League]], the top-flight of football in [[Rwanda]], due to the ongoing [[Sudanese civil war (2023–present)|Sudanese civil war]].
==Club history== Al-Merrikh was founded under the name of Al-Masalma Sporting Club in 1908 by students from Al-Masalmah district that was headed by their chairman Jek Deng Aban Gorang in [[Omdurman]] of [[Gordon Memorial College]]. The club renamed as Al-Merrikh Sporting Club on 14 November 1927.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.almerrikh.com/index.php/2014-09-08-14-41-50/publshing-date|title=تأسيس نادي المريخ (Foundation of the club)|work=Al-Merrikh Official website|date=1 September 2014|access-date=2 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523015454/http://www.almerrikh.com/index.php/2014-09-08-14-41-50/publshing-date|archive-date=23 May 2015|url-status=usurped}}</ref>
==Rivalries==
The club has a fierce rivalry with [[Al-Hilal Club (Omdurman)|Al-Hilal]] with the games between them regularly selling out, as well as being the only other realistic challenger to the league crown. They won the Om-al-Dahab championship in 1965 and are the only team to have ever won this one time event. Al-Hilal is also based in Omdurman with only Al-Ardha Street separating the teams. Between them they are Sudan's most powerful and successful football clubs.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
==Honours== {| class ="wikitable |+Al-Merrikh SC Honours !Type !competition !titles !seasons |- | rowspan="3" |'''Domestic''' [[Sudan Football Association|('''SFA''')]] !scope=col|[[Sudan League]] / [[Sudan Premier League]] | 19 | [[1970 Sudan League|1970]], [[1972 Sudan League|1972]], [[1974 Sudan League|1974]], [[1977 Sudan League|1977]], [[1982 Sudan League|1982]], [[1985 Sudan League|1985]], [[1990 Sudan League|1990]], [[1993 Sudan League|1993]], [[1997 Sudan Premier League|1997]], [[2000 Sudan Premier League|2000]], [[2001 Sudan Premier League|2001]], [[2002 Sudan Premier League|2002]], [[2008 Sudan Premier League|2008]], [[2011 Sudan Premier League|2011]], [[2013 Sudan Premier League|2013]], [[2015 Sudan Premier League|2015]], [[2018 Sudan Premier League|2018]], [[2018–19 Sudan Premier League|2018–19]], [[2019–20 Sudan Premier League|2019–20]]. |- !scope=col|[[Sudan Cup]] | 19 | [[1951 Sudan Cup|1951]],[[1955 Sudan Cup|1955]], [[1961 Sudan Cup|1961]], [[1962 Sudan Cup|1962]], [[1991 Sudan Cup|1991]], [[1993 Sudan Cup|1993]], [[1994 Sudan Cup|1994]], [[1996 Sudan Cup|1996]], [[2001 Sudan Cup|2001]], [[2005 Sudan Cup|2005]], [[2006 Sudan Cup|2006]], [[2007 Sudan Cup|2007]], [[2008 Sudan Cup|2008]], [[2010 Sudan Cup|2010]], [[2012 Sudan Cup|2012]], [[2013 Sudan Cup|2013]], [[2014 Sudan Cup|2014]], [[2015 Sudan Cup|2015]], [[2018 Sudan Cup|2018]]. (''Record'') |- !scope=col|[[Khartoum League]] | 17 | [[1954 Khartoum League|1954]], [[1956 Khartoum League|1956]], [[1962 Khartoum League|1962]], [[1966 Khartoum League|1966]], [[1968 Khartoum League|1968]], [[1972 Khartoum League|1972]], [[1975 Khartoum League|1975]], [[1980 Khartoum League|1980]], [[1981 Khartoum League|1981]], [[1983 Khartoum League|1983]], [[1985 Khartoum League|1985]], [[1986 Khartoum League|1986]], [[1991 Khartoum League|1991]], [[1992 Khartoum League|1992]], [[1993 Khartoum League|1993]], [[1996 Khartoum League|1996]], [[1997 Khartoum League|1997]] |- | '''Continental''' [[Confederation of African Football|('''CAF''')]] !scope=col|[[African Cup Winners' Cup]] | 1 | [[1989 African Cup Winners' Cup|1989]] |- | '''Regional''' [[CECAFA]] !scope=col|[[CECAFA Clubs Cup]] | 3 | [[1986 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1986]], [[1994 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1994]], [[2014 CECAFA Clubs Cup|2014]] |}
==Players== {{Updated|19 September 2025}} {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=1|nat=Sudan|name=[[Jaras Kafi]]|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=2|nat=SDN|name=[[Alburae Jamal]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=3|nat=SDN|name=[[Musa Altayeb]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=4|nat=SDN|name=[[Musab Makeen]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=5|nat=Congo|name=[[Janard Mbemba]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=6|nat=SDN|name=[[Almesbah Faisal]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|other=[[Captain (association football)|3rd Captain]]|no=7|nat=Sudan|name=[[Muhamed Alrasheed]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=8|nat=Sudan|name=[[Wajdi Handasa]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=9|nat=SDN|name=[[Amar Ali]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=10|nat=Guinea|name=[[Aboubacar Bachir Bangoura]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=Guinea|name=[[Moussa Moise Camara]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=12|nat=SDN|name=[[Awad Zayed]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=13|nat=SDN|name=[[Ahmed Tabanja]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=14|nat=SDN|name=[[Muataz Hashem]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=15|nat=Zambia|name=[[Obino Chisala]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=SDN|name=[[Muhamed Alnour Abouja]]|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=Sudan|name=[[Ahmed Alfateh]]|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=18|nat=SDN|name=[[Mustafa Salah Naji]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=Ivory Coast|name=[[Muhamed Gabane]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=20|nat=SDN|name=[[Abdellatif Adam]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|other=[[Captain (association football)|Captain]]|no=21|nat=SDN|name=[[Amir Kamal]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=SDN|name=[[Musa Kanti]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=23|nat=SDN|name=[[Abaker Adam]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=24|nat=SDN|name=[[Waheeb Shendi]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=26|nat=Mali|name=[[Fady Coulibaly]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=27|nat=Sudan|name=[[Mujtaba Faisal]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=28|nat=SDN|name=[[Tajeldin Yagoub]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|other=[[Captain (association football)|Vice-Captain]]|no=29|nat=Sudan|name=[[Ramadan Agab]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=30|nat=Nigeria|name=[[Jide Fatokun]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=31|nat=SDN|name=[[Mubarak Abdallah]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=32|nat=SDN|name=[[Muhamed Tia Asad]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=33|nat=CHA|name=[[Dia Wah Mickael]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=34|nat=MLI|name=[[Daouda Ba]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=35|nat=SDN|name=[[Atef Koko]]|pos=FW}} {{Fs player|no=36|nat=SDN|name=[[Abdelbaset Awad]]|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=37|nat=Senegal|name=[[Daba Sogoba]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=38|nat=SDN|name=[[Munzer Abdu]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs player|no=39|nat=SDN|name=[[Awab Anter]]|pos=DF}} {{Fs player|no=40|nat=Burkina Faso|name=[[Ladji Brahima Sanou]]|pos=GK}} {{Fs player|no=-|nat=Madagascar|name=[[Nicolas Randriamanampisoa]]|pos=MF}} {{Fs end}}
==Performance in CAF Competitions== *[[CAF Champions League]] '''30 Appearances ''' *[[1971 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1971]] - Second round *[[1973 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1973]] - Second round *[[1975 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1975]] - Quarter-finals *[[1978 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1978]] - Second round *[[1983 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1983]] - First round *[[1986 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1986]] - First round *[[1991 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1991]] - First round *[[1994 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1994]] - First round *[[1998 CAF Champions League|1998]] - First round *[[2001 CAF Champions League|2001]] - Second round *[[2002 CAF Champions League|2002]] - Second round *[[2003 CAF Champions League|2003]] - First round *[[2009 CAF Champions League|2009]] - Group stage *[[2010 CAF Champions League|2010]] - Second round *[[2011 CAF Champions League|2011]] - First round *[[2012 CAF Champions League|2012]] - Second round *[[2013 CAF Champions League|2013]] - First round *[[2014 CAF Champions League|2014]] - Preliminary round *[[2015 CAF Champions League|2015]] - Semi-finals *[[2016 CAF Champions League|2016]] - Second round *[[2017 CAF Champions League|2017]] - Group stage *[[2018 CAF Champions League|2018]] - Preliminary round *[[2018-19 CAF Champions League|2018-19]] - Preliminary round *[[2019-20 CAF Champions League|2019-20]] - Preliminary round *[[2020-21 CAF Champions League|2020-21]] - Group stage *[[2021-22 CAF Champions League|2021-22]] - Group stage *[[2022-23 CAF Champions League|2022-23]] - Group stage *[[2023-24 CAF Champions League|2023-24]] - Second round *[[2024-25 CAF Champions League|2024-25]] - Second round *[[2025-26 CAF Champions League|2025-26]] - First round *''' [[CAF Confederation Cup]] 8 Appearances''' * [[2004 CAF Confederation Cup|2004]] - Preliminary round * [[2005 CAF Confederation Cup|2005]] - Second Round * [[2006 CAF Confederation Cup|2006]] - Play-off Round * [[2007 CAF Confederation Cup|2007]] - '''Runners-up''' * [[2008 CAF Confederation Cup|2008]] - Group Stage * [[2010 CAF Confederation Cup|2010]] - Play-off round * [[2012 CAF Confederation Cup|2012]] - Semi-finals * [[2016 CAF Confederation Cup|2016]] - Play-off *'''[[African Cup Winners' Cup]] 11 Appearances''' *[[1984 African Cup Winners' Cup|1984]] - Second round *[[1985 African Cup Winners' Cup|1985]] - First round *[[1987 African Cup Winners' Cup|1987]] - Second round *[[1989 African Cup Winners' Cup|1989]] - '''Winners''' *[[1990 African Cup Winners' Cup|1990]] - Semi-finals *[[1992 African Cup Winners' Cup|1992]] - Semi-finals *[[1993 African Cup Winners' Cup|1993]] - Quarter-finals *[[1995 African Cup Winners' Cup|1995]] - Second round *[[1997 African Cup Winners' Cup|1997]] - First round *[[1999 African Cup Winners' Cup|1999]] - First round *[[2000 African Cup Winners' Cup|2000]] - Second round
==Performance in Arab Competitions== *'''[[Arab Champions League]] 12 Appearances''' *[[1988 Arab Club Champions Cup|1988]] - Group stage *[[1994 Arab Club Champions Cup|1994]] - Group stage *[[2002 Arab Unified Club Championship|2002]] - First round *[[2003-04 Arab Champions League|2003-04]] - First round *[[2005-06 Arab Champions League|2005-06]] - First round *[[2006-07 Arab Champions League|2006-07]] - First round *[[2007-08 Arab Champions League|2007-08]] - Second round *[[2008-09 Arab Champions League|2008-09]] - Second round *[[2017 Arab Club Championship|2017]] - Group stage *[[2018-19 Arab Club Champions Cup|2018-19]] - Semi-finals *[[2019-20 Arab Club Champions Cup|2019-20]] - First round *[[2023 Arab Club Champions Cup|2023]] - First round *'''[[Arab Cup Winners' Cup]] 3 Appearances''' *[[1992 Arab Cup Winners' Cup|1992]] - Preliminary round *[[1999 Arab Cup Winners' Cup|1999]] - Preliminary round *[[2000 Arab Cup Winners' Cup|2000]] - Group stage
== Performance in CECAFA Competitions== *[[CECAFA Clubs Cup]] '''8 Appearances''' *[[1985 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1985]] - 3rd Place *[[1986 CECAFA Cup Clubs|1986]] - '''Champions''' *[[1987 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1987]] - Runners-up *[[1988 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1988]] - Runners-up *[[1994 CECAFA Clubs Cup|1994]] - '''Champions''' *[[2009 Kagame Interclub Cup|2009]] - Runners-up *[[2011 Kagame Interclub Cup|2011]] - 3rd Place *[[2014 Kagame Interclub Cup|2014]] - '''Champions'''
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Sudan Premier League}} {{CAF Cup Winners' Cup winners}}
[[Category:Al Merrikh SC| ]] [[Category:Football clubs in Sudan|Merrikh]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1908]] [[Category:Omdurman]] [[Category:1908 establishments in Sudan]] [[Category:African Cup Winners Cup winning clubs|M]]