Azam Football Club is a Tanzanian professional football club based in Chamazi, Temeke, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that competes in the Tanzanian Premier League. Nicknamed Wana Lambalamba, Chamazi Millionaires or the Bakers, the club was founded as Mzizima Football Club in 2004, changed its name to Azam Sports Club in 2005, then Azam Football Club in 2006 and moved to its current stadium, Azam Complex Chamazi, in 2010.
In the 2013/14 season, Azam FC won the league unbeaten, and by so doing, the club became only the second (after Simba SC2009/10) to win the league without losing a single game.
Azam FC were undefeated in the league (26 matches) in a run that stretched to a 38 games, from the 18th round of 2012/13 season to the 4th round of 2014/15. In 2015, the club became the first in the history of Tanzanian clubs to win the Kagame Cup without conceding a goal.
Mzizima FC was a brainchild of Hafidh Salim (who became the first Chairperson), Ali Mlungula, Seif Mshamu Kiwile, Athuman Kikila, Mohamed Saad Makununi, Mzee Chuli Ramadhan, and Babu Ayubu. Then they were joined by Abubakar Mapwisa, Seleman Mabehewa, Twalib Suleiman Chuma, Mohamed Seif 'King', Nassor Idrisa 'Father', Ibrahim Jeshi and Abdallah Hassan. They started this team just for recreation and leisure after the long working hours, so as to improve their social life, health and well-being.
They didn't have a place as their training ground thus they approached the Tanzania Railways Limited (TRC) to allow them use their open space at Ilala Goods Shed. TRC gave them a nod and the work of leveling the ground started immediately.
The ground allowed the players, who were the workers, to showcase their talents. The very first players are Nassor Idrisa, Salum Kakolo, Mjomba Akili, Salva Mayola, Ali Dosho, Gabriel Sebastian Manyoronga, Mohamed Kikuni, Tebela, Zabron Mihangi, Salehe Hillary, Mussa Lumbi, Hatibu Katoto, Amiri Rashid Kikwa, Hamis Jafar, Ibrahim Jaluo, Abbas Kuka, Mbaraka Shaaban Jangama 'Cantona', Abdulkarim Amin 'Popat', Hassan Jeba, Said Nachikongo, Mussa Juma, Faraj Ismail, Mazaila Athuman and James Adriano Kilongola.
Champions of Ilala 2005
After only playing friendly matches, in 2005, Mzizima FC participated in official league after joining division four. This was the lowest official league in Tanzanian football pyramid, and organized by the respective districts' football associations. Based in Ilala district of Dar es Salaam, Mzizima FC joined the Ilala District League under Ilala District Football Association, which was played in May, from 1st to 28th, at Benjamin Mkapa Secondary School ground, Ilala, Dar es Salaam.
Mzizima FC made it to the final and saw off Ndanda FC of Misheni Kota, Kariakoo Dar es Salaam by 2–1, with the brace from Mussa Lumbi in front of Honourable Mussa Hassan Mussa, the Ilala Member of Parliament.
Mr. Abubabar Bakhresa, the Managing Director of SSB, awarded the team a sum of 330,000/= for winning the championship.
The win meant Mzizima FC was automatically promoted to Dar es Salaam regional league (division three) for the 2006 season.
Azam Sports Club
Other SSB owned industries had their own football teams too, and in 2005 they agreed to merger with Mzizima SC to form one strong team following the suggestion from Mr. Abubabar Bakhresa, the Managing Director of SSB. The teams were Kipawa [Biscuits & Bakery Industry], TAZARA - Buguruni [Wheat Flour Milling & Mineral Water Industry] and Vingunguti [Omary Packaging & Garage].
They decided to organize the tournament involving all these teams to help select the players to form one new team. The tournament was played at Airwing ground in Ukonga. Mzizima FC and Kipawa FC qualified for the final but the match was interrupted as Kipawa confronted the officiating.
After the disputed tournament, every team maintained its status but later some players defected from other teams to join Mzizima FC to honour the call of Mr. Abubakar Bakhresa. Some of them were Luckson Kakolaki and Id Abubakary of Kipawa. This led to the strengthening of Mzizima SC and weakening of other teams, and lately they swallowed their pride and agreed to merger with Mzizima FC to form one team.
On 28/10/2005, the newly formed team adopted the new name, Azam Sports Club, because Azam is the flagship name for the SSB group of companies.
Azam Football Club 2006
After winning the Ilala District Championship (division four) in 2005, Azam SC was automatically promoted to the Dar es Salaam regional league (division three). But the regional league proved to be a bit tough for Azam SC players who were workers from within the company.
The need to improve the team forced the recruitment of new players from outside the company. The new players helped the team to win promotion to second division for 2007 season. But that was the beginning of the new era because the club now started to pay wages to the players only for playing football, thus the professionalization of the club.
On June 6, 2006, Azam Sports Club turned full professional and marked the evolution by dropping 'Sports Club' from its name, and replaced it with 'Football Club'. From that day on, the official name of the club is Azam Football Club.
The players recruited for 2007 season were Seleman Matola, Shekhan Rashid, Kasimu Kilungo, Juma Assey, Daud Jumanne, James Adrian, Makame Usi 'Vigema', Boniface Pawasa, Heri pazi, and Alimu Chilumbe. Others were Kamba Luffo and Steven Nyenge.
These were the players who had vast experience of local and international football and improved the team.
Promotion to Premier League
In April 2006, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) announced that from 2007 they will change the league system and calendar. The old calendar of January - December was to be replaced by the new one of August - May. So to get the representatives in African competitions for 2007 (as CAF still used February - November calendar), TFF organized what they called the LIGI NDOGO (mini league).
Also all other leagues below premier league to be disbanded and replaced by new competition called National League. This competition was to start from district level to the national level in the same season. National level is where the promotion to the premier league was obtained. Under this new format, the team could be formed the same season and got promoted to the premier league in the same season.
So when the new season started, Azam FC which at the time was in division two, had to drop to district level to participate in this new competition. They started from Ilala District and in one of their matches they played against Cosmopolitan and lost 2–0, at Benjamin Mkapa Secondary School ground. All goals were scored by the 17 year old, John Bocco.
Azam FC who eventually managed to qualify for regional level, signed John Bocco and enrolled him for the rest of the season. They too signed a 16 year old Salum Abubakary 'Sure Boy'.
Azam FC triumphantly made it all the way to National level for promotion playoffs. There were two centers for playoffs, Dodoma and Musoma, and Azam FC was in Dodoma.
Their group included Mbagala Market, the team which had a 17 year old in Mbwana Samatta, Majimaji FC and Kijiweni FC from Uyole Mbeya. The match against Mbagala Market which ended in a stalemate was very intense and a reminder of the two previous encounters at regional, all ended in a draw.
This is where the rivalry between Azam FC and Mbagala Market started. Mbagala Market, now African Lyon, is the first team to beat Azam FC at Azam Complex Chamazi.
Azam FC was promoted after accumulating 7 points from two wins (3–0 against Kijiweni and 2–0 against Majimaji) and one draw (0-0 against Mbagala Market).
The promotion was officially sealed on July 27, 2008, after a comfortable 2–0 win over Majimaji FC with free kick goals from John Bocco.
Since promotion, Azam FC have managed to finish in top three in all seasons, except 2008/09 [eighth] and 2016/17 [fourth].
Dar es Salaam is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of the Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over five million people, Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa and the sixth-largest in Africa. Located on the Swahili coast, Dar es Salaam is an important economic center and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
The Tanzania national football team represents Tanzania in men's international football and is controlled by the Tanzania Football Federation, the governing body for football in Tanzania, Tanzania's home ground is Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam and their head coach is Adel Amrouche from Algeria. They are colloquially known as the Taifa Stars. Tanzania has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Before uniting with Zanzibar, the team played as the Tanganyika national football team, The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Dar es Salaam Region is one of Tanzania's 31 administrative regions and is located in the east coast of the country. The region covers an area of 1,393 km2 (538 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land and water areas of the nation state of Mauritius Dar es Salaam Region is bordered to the east by Indian Ocean and it is entirely surrounded by Pwani Region. The Pwani districts that border Dar es Salaam region are Bagamoyo District to the north, Kibaha Urban District to the west, Kisarawe District to the south west and Mkuranga District to the south of the region. The region's seat (capital) is located inside the ward of Ilala. The region is named after the city of Dar es Salaam itself. The region is home to Tanzania's major finance, administration and industries, thus the making it the country's richest region. The region also has the second highest Human Development Index in the country after Mjini Magharibi. According to the 2022 census, the region has a total population of 5,383,728 and national census of 2012 had 4,364,541. The region has the highest population in Tanzania followed by Mwanza Region.
The Tanzania Football Federation previously the Football Association of Tanzania, is the governing body of football in Tanzania. It oversees operations of the Tanzania national football team, Tanzania women's national team and the Tanzanian football league system which comprises the Tanzanian Premier League, Tanzanian First Division League (Championship), First League and Regional Champions League. It was founded in 1945 and has been affiliated with FIFA since 1964. Wallace Karia is the current President of the Tanzania Football Federation as of 2017.
Young Africans Sports Club is a Tanzanian professional football club based at Jangwani ward of Ilala District in Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania. Founded in 1935, the club plays their home games at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Chang'ombe ward of Temeke District.
Simba Sports Club is a professional football club based in Kariakoo ward in Ilala Districtof Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania.
The Tanzania Mainland Premier League is a top-level Tanzanian professional football league, governed by the Tanzania Football Federation.
The Tanzania FA Cup is the top knockout tournament of the Tanzanian football.
Pan African Football SC is a Tanzanian football club based in Dar es Salaam.
Ashanti United SC is a football club in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
African Lyon is a football club in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Currently they play in the top level of Tanzanian professional football, the Tanzanian Premier League, after winning the First Division League's Group A in the 2015/2016 season.
John Stewart Hall is an association football coach. He has been technical director of the Philippine Football Federation since 1 December 2021.
The Chamazi Stadium officially known as the Azam Complex Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Chamazi ward of Temeke MC in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Azam FC. The stadium holds 10,000 people.
The SportPesa Super Cup is an association football competition that took place in June 2017 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations was the 13th edition of the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players aged 17 and below. In May 2015, it was decided that the tournament would be hosted by Tanzania.
The 2018 Kagame Interclub Cup is the 41st edition of the Kagame Interclub Cup, a football competition for clubs in East and Central Africa, which is organised by CECAFA. It took place in Tanzania from 29 June to 13 July 2018.
Razak Abalora is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for the Moldovan National Division team Petrocub Hîncești, on loan from Sheriff Tiraspol as a goalkeeper. He joined the club from Tanzanian side Azam F.C. on a free transfer.
Simba Queens Soccer Club is a Tanzanian professional women's football club affiliated to Simba S.C. and based in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, that competes in the Tanzanian Women's Premier League, the top-flight of Tanzanian women's football.
Azam TV is an East African direct broadcast satellite service owned by Bakhresa Group based in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. Launched in 2013, the service provides audio, radio and television channels services to subscribers, mostly in Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya.
The 2024 CECAFA Kagame Interclub Cup was the 46th edition of the Kagame Interclub Cup, a football competition for clubs in East and Central Africa, which is organized by CECAFA. The competition was held in Tanzania from 9 to 21 July.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
