Nickname(s) | Taifa Stars | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) | |||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
Sub-confederation | CECAFA (East & Central Africa) | |||
Head coach | Hemed Morocco (interim) | |||
Captain | Mbwana Samatta | |||
Most caps | Erasto Nyoni (107) | |||
Top scorer | Mrisho Ngasa (25) | |||
Home stadium | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium | |||
FIFA code | TAN | |||
| ||||
FIFA ranking | ||||
Current | 113 1 (18 July 2024) [1] | |||
Highest | 65 (February 1995) | |||
Lowest | 175 (October–November 2005) | |||
First international | ||||
Uganda 7–0 Tanganyika (Uganda; Date Unknown 1945) as Tanzania Tanzania 1–1 Kenya (Tanzania; 1 March 1969) | ||||
Biggest win | ||||
Tanzania 7–0 Somalia (Jinja, Uganda; 1 December 1995) Somalia 0–7 Tanzania (Kampala, Uganda; 1 December 2012) | ||||
Biggest defeat | ||||
Tanganyika 0–9 Kenya (Tanganyika; Date Unknown 1956) as Tanzania Saudi Arabia 8–0 Tanzania (Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 11 September 1998) | ||||
Africa Cup of Nations | ||||
Appearances | 3 (first in 1980 ) | |||
Best result | Group stage (1980, 2019, 2023) | |||
African Nations Championship | ||||
Appearances | 2 (first in 2009 ) | |||
Best result | Group stage (2009, 2020) | |||
COSAFA Cup | ||||
Appearances | 3 (first in 1997 ) | |||
Best result | Third place (2017) | |||
CECAFA Cup | ||||
Appearances | 63 (first in 1945) | |||
Best result | Champions (1949, 1950, 1951, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1994, 2010) |
The Tanzania national football team (Swahili : Timu ya Taifa ya Mpira wa Miguu ya Tanzania) 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).
The island of Zanzibar, part of Tanzania (and once an independent nation), is also an associate member of CAF and has played matches with other nations, but is not eligible to enter the World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations. See Zanzibar national football team .
Tanzania is currently ranked 121st in the FIFA World Rankings. [2]
Since qualifying for the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, Tanzania endured nearly 40 years without major success, struggling in both African and World Cup qualifiers. Their best effort was in 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, where the Taifa Stars defeated Burkina Faso twice and only finished three points behind group winners Senegal. In 2010 Tanzania won the CECAFA Cup for the third time.[ citation needed ]
A recent achievement was a 1–0 win against South Africa in the 2017 COSAFA Cup Quarter-finals. But afterwards, Tanzania lost the Semi-finals 2–4 to Zambia. Then, in the Third-place playoff, Tanzania managed to win the match against Lesotho 4–2 in a penalty shootout after the extra time ended in a goalless draw. This Third place was considered Tanzania's biggest football achievement in many years.[ citation needed ]
On 24 March 2019, Tanzania beat East African rivals Uganda 3–0 to reach the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 39 years. At the Finals the Taifa Stars, being the weakest team in the group, lost all three Group C matches, as predicted. A few months later, Tanzania qualified for the African Nations Championship for only the second time, as well as defeating Burundi in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.[ citation needed ]
Head coach | Hemed Morocco |
Assistant coach | Juma Mgunda |
Assistant coach | Hemed Morocco |
Assistant coach | Dr. Carolin Braun |
Goalkeeper coach | Osama Al-Hamdan |
Physical coach | Mikael Mayoyo |
Sports therapist | Joris De Vos |
Head of medical | Lisobine Kisongo |
Team manager | Reinhard |
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
15 October Friendly | Sudan | 1–1 | Tanzania | Taif, Saudi Arabia |
19:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: King Fahd Sports City |
18 November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Niger | 0–1 | Tanzania | Marrakesh, Morocco |
17:00 UTC+1 | Report |
| Stadium: Stade de Marrakech Attendance: 178 Referee: Lotfi Bekouassa (Algeria) |
21 November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Tanzania | 0–2 | Morocco | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
19:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Benjamin Mkapa (National Stadium) Attendance: 60,000 Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa) |
7 January Friendly | Egypt | 2–0 | Tanzania | Cairo, Egypt |
18:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Cairo International Stadium Referee: Hashem Al-Ibrahim (Kuwait) |
17 January 2023 AFCON GS | Morocco | 3–0 | Tanzania | San Pédro, Ivory Coast |
Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium |
21 January 2023 AFCON GS | Zambia | 1–1 | Tanzania | San Pédro, Ivory Coast |
Stadium: Laurent Pokou Stadium |
24 January 2023 AFCON GS | Tanzania | 0–0 | DR Congo | Korhogo, Ivory Coast |
Stadium: Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium |
22 March 2024 FIFA World Series | Tanzania | 0–1 | Bulgaria | Baku, Azerbaijan |
15:00 UTC+4 | Report | Despodov 52' | Stadium: Dalga Arena Attendance: 154 Referee: Aliyar Aghayev (Azerbaijan) |
25 March 2024 FIFA World Series | Tanzania | 3–0 | Mongolia | Baku, Azerbaijan |
17:00 UTC+4 | Report | Stadium: Dalga Arena Attendance: 146 Referee: Elçin Məsiyev (Azerbaijan) |
15 May Friendly | Sudan | 2–1 | Tanzania | Al Hawiyah, Saudi Arabia |
16:00 UTC+3 |
| Report Report (SFA) |
| Stadium: King Fahd Sports City (Taif) |
19 May Friendly | Sudan | 0–1 | Tanzania | Al Hawiyah, Saudi Arabia |
17:00 UTC+3 | Report |
| Stadium: King Fahd Sports City (Taif) |
11 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Zambia | 0–1 | Tanzania | Ndola, Zambia |
15:00 UTC+2 | Report |
| Stadium: Levy Mwanawasa Stadium Referee: Abdel Aziz Bouh (Mauritania) |
The following 27 players were called up for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. [8]
Caps and goals correct as of 7 January 2024, after the match against DR Congo.
The following players have been called up for Tanzania in the last 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Metacha Mnata | 25 November 1998 | 9 | 0 | Young Africans | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
DF | Kennedy Juma | 7 August 1994 | 10 | 0 | Simba | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
DF | Lameck Elias Lawi | 28 November 2000 | 0 | 0 | Coastal Union | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
MF | Ayoub Idrissa Bilali | 27 July 2001 | 1 | 0 | Goražde | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
MF | Adolf Bitegeko | 26 February 1999 | 0 | 0 | Völsungur | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
MF | Yusuph Kagoma | 1 February 1996 | 0 | 0 | Geita Gold | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
FW | Abdul Hamisi Suleiman | 26 February 2001 | 7 | 0 | Azam | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
FW | Said Khamis | 20 July 2000 | 5 | 1 | Jedinstvo Ub | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations PRE |
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. |
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Erasto Nyoni | 107 | 7 | 2006–2021 |
2 | Mrisho Ngassa | 100 | 25 | 2006–2015 |
3 | Kelvin Yondani | 97 | 0 | 2008–2021 |
4 | Simon Msuva | 92 | 22 | 2012–present |
5 | Raphael Bocco | 84 | 16 | 2009–present |
6 | Shomari Kapombe | 82 | 1 | 2011–present |
7 | Juma Kaseja | 79 | 0 | 2002–2021 |
8 | Mbwana Samatta | 79 | 22 | 2011–present |
9 | Himid Mao | 77 | 2 | 2013–present |
10 | Aishi Manula | 64 | 0 | 2015–present |
Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mrisho Ngassa | 25 | 100 | 0.25 | 2006–2015 |
2 | Mbwana Samatta | 22 | 79 | 0.28 | 2011–present |
Simon Msuva | 22 | 92 | 0.24 | 2012–present | |
4 | Raphael Bocco | 16 | 84 | 0.19 | 2009–present |
5 | John Nteze Lungu | 12 | 22 | 0.55 | 1992–2002 |
6 | Jerson Tegete | 8 | 28 | 0.29 | 2006–2011 |
Danny Mrwanda | 8 | 34 | 0.24 | 2005–2011 | |
8 | Mohamed Rajab | 7 | 20 | 0.35 | 2002–2011 |
Thomas Ulimwengu | 7 | 51 | 0.14 | 2010–2021 | |
Erasto Nyoni | 7 | 107 | 0.07 | 2006–2021 | |
FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 to 1962 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
1966 and 1970 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1974 | Did not qualify | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||
1978 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
1982 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | ||||||||
1986 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
1990 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1994 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
1998 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
2006 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||
2010 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 6 | |||||||||
2014 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 14 | |||||||||
2018 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | |||||||||
2022 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | |||||||||
2026 | To be determined | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
2030 | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
2034 | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/15 | 44 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 45 | 62 |
Africa Cup of Nations record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 3 | Appearances: 24 | ||||||||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
as Tanganyika | as Tanganyika | ||||||||||||||
1957 | Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||||||||
1959 | |||||||||||||||
1962 | |||||||||||||||
1963 | |||||||||||||||
as Tanzania | as Tanzania | ||||||||||||||
1965 | Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||||||||
1968 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
1970 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||||||||
1972 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | |||||||||
1974 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | |||||||||
1976 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |||||||||
1978 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
1980 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
1982 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
1984 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||
1986 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
1988 | Did not qualify | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||
1990 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
1992 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | |||||||||
1994 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
1996 | Did not qualify | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 15 | ||||||||
1998 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | |||||||||
2000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
2004 | Withdrew during qualifying | Withdrew during qualifying | |||||||||||||
2006 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||
2008 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | |||||||||
2010 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 6 | |||||||||
2012 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | |||||||||
2013 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
2015 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||
2017 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | |||||||||
2019 | Group stage | 24th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | |
2021 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||
2023 | Group stage | 22nd | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2025 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
2027 | Qualified as co-hosts | Qualified as co-hosts | |||||||||||||
2029 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | Group stage | 4/36 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 93 | 22 | 31 | 40 | 95 | 130 |
African Nations Championship record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 2 | Appearances: 7 | ||||||||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
2009 | Group stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | |
2011 | Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | ||||||||
2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
2016 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
2018 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
2020 | Group stage | 10th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
2022 | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
2024 | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | |||||||||||||
Total | Group stage | 2/7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 25 | 22 |
African Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1973 | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | |
Total | 1/4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
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