Football in Somalia isn't just a game. It's a miracle. Honestly, when you look at the Somalia national football team, you’re looking at a group of guys who have spent decades playing through a literal war zone, dealing with zero funding, and having to call foreign countries "home" because their own stadiums were too dangerous to use.
But things are changing. Quickly.
Right now, as we move through 2026, the "Ocean Stars" (that’s their nickname, by the way) are finally starting to look like a real threat in East African football. They aren't just the "bottom-ranked team" anymore. They’re a squad built on the grit of local Mogadishu talent and the polish of the diaspora.
What's Actually Happening with the Somalia National Football Team?
If you check the FIFA rankings, you'll see Somalia sitting around the 200th spot. Sounds bad, right? Well, sort of. But rankings don't tell the whole story. For years, Somalia basically didn't play. They couldn't. Between 1986 and 2011, the country was in such chaos that organized sports were a luxury nobody could afford.
In late 2025, we saw some wild shifts. Somalia pulled off some shockers, like those back-to-back friendly wins against Bahrain (2-1 and 1-0) in November. You’ve got to remember, Bahrain is a team that usually handles lower-ranked sides with ease. To see the Ocean Stars go into Manama and take both games? That’s massive.
The Yusuf Ali Nur Era
The man currently pulling the strings is Yusuf Ali Nur. If that name sounds familiar to Somali fans, it’s because he’s a legend. He captained the national team for over a decade before moving into coaching. He’s managed the big local clubs like Elman and Dekedaha, and he knows the Somali game better than anyone.
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Nur’s strategy has been simple: stop relying only on the local league and start calling up the kids playing in Europe and the US.
The Diaspora Factor
This is the secret sauce. You’ve got players like Handwalla Bwana, who played in MLS for Seattle Sounders and Nashville. Then there’s Abdi Sharif and Mohamed Omar, guys who have been playing in professional systems in the States and UK.
When you mix that tactical discipline with the raw, street-style flair of the players coming out of the Somali Premier League, you get a team that’s unpredictable. They’re no longer just showing up to lose by four goals. They’re defending deep, counter-attacking, and making life miserable for bigger teams like Guinea and Algeria.
The World Cup 2026 Dream (and Reality)
Let’s be real for a second. Is the Somalia national football team going to win the World Cup? No. Are they even going to qualify for the 2026 edition? It’s a massive uphill battle. They are currently in Group G for the CAF qualifiers, sitting at the bottom with a handful of points.
They’ve had some tough results recently:
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- A 3-0 loss to Algeria (no shame there, Algeria is a powerhouse).
- A narrow 1-0 loss to Mozambique.
- A hard-fought 0-0 draw against Guinea in Abidjan.
That Guinea result in March 2025 was the one that made people sit up. Guinea has players in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Somalia held them to a stalemate. It showed that under Nur, the defense—led by veterans like Abel Gigli and Faisal Othman—has actually become organized.
The Mogadishu Stadium Comeback
For the longest time, "home" games for Somalia were played in Djibouti, Ethiopia, or even Morocco. It sucked. Imagine never playing in front of your own fans.
The reopening of Mogadishu Stadium was a turning point. It’s a 35,000-seater that used to be a base for AMISOM troops. Now, it’s got green grass again. Seeing the national team play on home soil is a symbol of the country's recovery. When the Ocean Stars play in Mogadishu, the atmosphere is electric. It’s one of the few things that brings every Somali together, regardless of tribe or politics.
Why Most People Get Somalia Wrong
People think the team is just a bunch of amateurs. They aren't. The market value of the squad is creeping up, now estimated around €1.76 million. That’s small compared to England or Brazil, sure, but for a nation that was written off as a "failed state" for thirty years, it’s a huge professional leap.
The Somali Football Federation (SFF) has been getting serious help from the FIFA Forward program. Over $4 million has been pumped into infrastructure. It’s not just about the senior team; the U-17s actually won the CECAFA championship recently. That’s the future.
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Notable Players to Watch:
- Abdulsamed Abdullahi: The captain. He’s a midfield engine who plays his club football in Europe. He’s the glue.
- Ibrahim Ahmed Hussein: The young keeper. He’s been tested constantly in the World Cup qualifiers and has made some highlight-reel saves.
- Ali Musse: A winger with a lot of pace who can actually finish.
What’s Next for the Ocean Stars?
The big goal now isn't just the World Cup qualifiers—it’s the FIFA Arab Cup. They have a massive playoff against Oman. If they win that, they get to test themselves against the likes of Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
If you want to support or follow the team, keep an eye on their social media—the SFF is surprisingly active. You can catch most of their CAF qualifier highlights on the FIFA+ app or YouTube.
Honestly, the best thing you can do is stop looking at the FIFA rankings. Watch a full 90 minutes of a Somalia game. You’ll see a team that plays with more heart than almost anyone else in the world. They aren't just playing for three points; they're playing for a nation that’s trying to find its feet.
Your Next Steps:
- Check the current Group G standings to see how the Ocean Stars are faring in the latest round of matches.
- Look up highlights of the 2025 Bahrain vs Somalia friendlies to see how much the tactical setup has improved under Yusuf Ali Nur.
- Follow the Somali Football Federation's official site for updates on upcoming home fixtures in Mogadishu.