Tanzanian Premier League

Last updated
Tanzanian Premier League
TFF Ligi Kuu Premier League Tanzania Logo.jpg
Founded
  • 1921;104 years ago (1921) [1]
    (as "Dar es Salaam Football League")
  • 1965;60 years ago (1965) (as "National League")
Country Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania
Confederation Tanzania Premier League Board
Number of clubs16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation to Championship
Domestic cup(s)
International cup(s)
Current champions Young Africans
(2024–25)
Most championships Young Africans S.C (26 titles)
Top goalscorer John Bocco
(155 goals)
Broadcaster(s)Azam TV
(live matches and highlights)
Website ligikuu.co.tz
Current: 2025–26 Tanzanian Premier League

The Tanzania Mainland Premier League (Swahili : Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara) is a top-level Tanzanian professional football league, governed by the TPLB.

Contents

History

The league was first organized in Dar es Salaam in 1921 [2] and by 1929 had six participants. In the 1930s, the league included street teams such as Arab Sports (Kariakoo) and New Strong Team (Kisutu), which primarily consisted of Arab and African players. The Sudanese community had a team that joined the league in 1941 although by the mid-1940s the team had split up. Other teams in the league's early history included the Khalsas, an exclusively Sikh team, and the Ilala Staff, a team of Ilalan residents.

In 1942, clubs from public institutions such as the Government School, Post Office, Railways SC, King's African Rifles SC, Police SC, and the Medical Department started to dominate the league. However, most teams disbanded in the aftermath of World War II, with many European players ceasing their participation in the league and their clubs. This included Gymkhana Club, Police Club, King's African Rifles, and Railways, who eventually withdrew from the league. Starting in the 1940s, they were replaced by African street teams such as Young Africans (Yanga) and Sunderland (known as Old Boys in 1942 and later renamed Simba in 1971), as well as the Goan's Club manned by Goans, and the Agha Khan Club by Ismaili Khojas.

From this period onwards, Yanga and Sunderland gradually became the most prominent clubs in Dar es Salaam. Yanga, founded in 1935, entered the first division and won four major cups in 1942. Sunderland joined the first division soon after Yanga and won four major trophies in 1946.

By 1955, the Dar es Salaam League had 38 registered clubs. It became the "National League" by 1965, incorporating most of the major teams in Tanzania. The name was later changed to the "First Division Soccer League" and later to the "Premier League" in 1997. Tanzania Breweries became the sponsor of the championship, after which the league was called the Tanzania Breweries League (TBL). The contract with Breweries was terminated in 2001 after a conflict with the Tanzania Football Association. In 2002, a contract was signed with the telecommunication company Vodacom, which lasted until 2009, after which they were renewed the same year.

Competition format

Tanzanian Premier League match between Kagera Sugar and Mbeya City on 17 January 2015 CCM Kirumba Stadium Mwanza.JPG
Tanzanian Premier League match between Kagera Sugar and Mbeya City on 17 January 2015

Competition

The Tanzanian Premier League (TPL) follows a typical double round-robin format with each team playing the other twice, home and away. Each win earns three points, a draw earns a point for both teams, and a loss earns zero points.

Promotion & Relegation

The bottom two-placed teams are automatically demoted to the Championship and are replaced by the winners and runners-up from the championship. The third and fourth worst-ranked teams enter a play-off with the 3rd and 4th placed teams from the First Division. [3]

International Competitions

Confederation of African Football (CAF) teams based in Tanzania compete in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

Recent positive performances by TPL clubs in continental competitions have seen Tanzania rise in the CAF 5-year ranking. As a result, more teams from the league have had the opportunity to compete on the continental stage.

CAF Champions League

The league champion qualifies for the CAF Champions League for the following season.

Starting in the 2021-22 season, the second-placed team from the previous season also qualifies for the CAF CL.

CAF Confederation Cup

Since the 2015–16 season, the winner of the Tanzania FA Cup has qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. This qualification place had previously been awarded only to the runner-up in the Premier League.

From the 2021-22 season onwards, the champions of the FA Cup and the third-placed team in the Premier League have also qualified for the tournament.

Club ranking for the CAF club season

Club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season

The club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2019–20 to the 2023–24 seasons.

RankClub2019–20
(× 1)
2020–21
(× 2)
2021–22
(× 3)
2022–23
(× 4)
2023–24
(× 5)
Total
1 Flag of Egypt.svg Al Ahly 6656687
2 Flag of Tunisia.svg Espérance de Tunis 3434561
3 Flag of Morocco.svg Wydad 4465260
4 Flag of South Africa.svg Mamelodi Sundowns 3334454
5 Flag of Egypt.svg Zamalek 5222548
6 Flag of Morocco.svg RS Berkane 5150442
7 Flag of Tanzania.svg Simba 0323339
8 Flag of Angola.svg Petro de Luanda 2142339
9 Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg TP Mazembe 3230.5438
10 Flag of Algeria.svg CR Belouizdad 0333237
11 Flag of Algeria.svg USM Alger 1005336
12 Flag of Morocco.svg Raja CA 4533035
13 Flag of Tanzania.svg Young Africans S.C. 0004331
14 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg ASEC Mimosas 0013330
15 Flag of Egypt.svg Pyramids 4322129

Club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season

The club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2020–21 to the 2024–25 seasons.

RankClub2020–21
(× 1)
2021–22
(× 2)
2022–23
(× 3)
2023–24
(× 4)
2024–25
(× 5)
Total
1 Flag of Egypt.svg Al Ahly 6566478
2 Flag of South Africa.svg Mamelodi Sundowns 3344562
3 Flag of Tunisia.svg Espérance de Tunis 4345357
4 Flag of Morocco.svg RS Berkane 1504552
5 Flag of Tanzania.svg Simba 3233448
6 Flag of Egypt.svg Pyramids 3221647
7 Flag of Egypt.svg Zamalek 2225242
8 Flag of Morocco.svg Wydad AC 4652039
9 Flag of Algeria.svg USM Alger 0053237
10 Flag of Algeria.svg CR Belouizdad 3332236
11 Flag of Sudan.svg Al-Hilal 1222334
12 Flag of Tanzania.svg Young Africans 0043234
13 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg ASEC Mimosas 0133233
14 Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg TP Mazembe 230.54130.5
15 Flag of South Africa.svg Orlando Pirates 2400430

Qualification for CAF competitions

Association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season

The association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is based on results from each CAF club competition from 2019–20 to the 2023–24 season.

Legend
RankAssociation2019–20
(× 1)
2020–21
(× 2)
2021–22
(× 3)
2022–23
(× 4)
2023–24
(× 5)
Total
20242023Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC
12Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 116837482.577184
21RedDownArrow.svg -1Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 8846958224148
33Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 3165716523119
44Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 30.582544341.5106
55Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 604351426197
66Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 0030.502346071
77Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DR Congo 414003124054
88Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Angola.svg  Angola 4010502031.551.5
99Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 203030302039
1011Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of Libya.svg  Libya 0200.50500.50335
1113Green-Up-Arrow.svg +2Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 00.50001033030.5
1212Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 030200020225

Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season

The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.

Legend
RankAssociation2020–21
(× 1)
2021–22
(× 2)
2022–23
(× 3)
2023–24
(× 4)
2024–25
(× 5)
Total
20252024Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC
11Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 837482.577104190.5
22Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 4695822455142
34Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 82544341.593131
43RedDownArrow.svg -1Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 6571652355130
56Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 30.50234602482.5
65RedDownArrow.svg -1Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 4351426130.582.5
78Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 10502031.52255
87RedDownArrow.svg -1Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  DR Congo 400312402045
99Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 303030203041
1011Green-Up-Arrow.svg +1Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 000103301238
1110RedDownArrow.svg -1Flag of Libya.svg  Libya 00.50500.5030024
1212Disc Plain violet.svgFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 020002020121

Clubs

Starting from the 2018–19 season, the league was composed of 20 teams, which was further lowered to 18 in 2020 and then 16 in 2021.

2023-2024 season clubs

Location of clubs in Tanzania for the 2023–24 Tanzanian Premier League season

Champions


Wins by year

Previous champions are: [4]

YearsChampions
1965 Sunderland
1966
1967 Cosmopolitans (1)
1968 Young Africans
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973 Simba
1974 Young Africans
1975 Mseto Sports (1)
1976 Simba
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981 Young Africans
1982 Pan African (1)
1983 Young Africans
1984 KMKM FC (1)
1985 Maji Maji
1986
1987 Young Africans
1988 African Sports (1)
1989 Malindi
1990 Pamba (1)
1991 Young Africans
1992 Malindi (2)
1993 Simba
1994
1995
1996 Young Africans
1997
1998 Maji Maji (3)
1999 Prisons (1)
2000 Young Africans
2001 Simba
2002
2003Not awarded
2004 Simba
2005 Young Africans
2006
2007 Simba
2007–08 Young Africans
2008–09
2009–10 Simba
2010–11 Young Africans
2011–12 Simba
2012–13 Young Africans
2013–14 Azam (1)
2014–15 Young Africans
2015–16
2016–17
2017–18 Simba
2018–19
2019–20
2020–21
2021–22 Young Africans (26)
2022–23
2023–24
2024–25

Titles by team

ClubWins [5]
Young Africans 26
Simba (includes Sunderland)21
Maji Maji 3
Malindi 2
African Sports 1
Pan African 1
Azam 1
Cosmopolitans 1
Mseto Sports 1
Pamba 1
KMKM 1

Top goalscorers

SeasonNat.Best scorersTeamGoals
1997 Flag of Tanzania.svg Mohamed Hussein "Mmachinga" Young Africans26
2004 Flag of Tanzania.svg Abubakar Ally Mkangwa Mtibwa Sugar
2005 Flag of Tanzania.svg Abdallah Juma25
2006n/an/a
2007 Flag of Tanzania.svg Mashiku SC United ]17
2007–08 Flag of Tanzania.svg Michael Katende Kagera Sugar
2008–09 Flag of Kenya.svg Boniface Ambani Young Africans18
2009–10 Flag of Tanzania.svg Musa Hassan Mgosi Simba18
2010–11 Flag of Tanzania.svg Mrisho Ngasa Azam18
2011–12 Flag of Tanzania.svg John Raphael Bocco 19
2012–13 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Kipre Tchetche 17
2013–14 Flag of Burundi.svg Amissi Tambwe Simba19
2014–15 Flag of Tanzania.svg Simon Msuva Young Africans17
2014–15 Flag of Tanzania.svg Abdulrahman Mussa Ruvu Shooting17
2015–16 Flag of Burundi.svg Amissi Tambwe Young Africans21
2016–17 Flag of Tanzania.svg Simon Msuva 14
2017–18 Flag of Uganda.svg Emmanuel Okwi Simba20
2018–19 Flag of Rwanda.svg Meddie Kagere 23
2019–20 Flag of Rwanda.svg Meddie Kagere 22
2020–21 Flag of Tanzania.svg John Bocco 16 [6]
2021–22 Flag of Tanzania.svg George MpoleGeita Gold17 [7]
2022–23 Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Fiston Mayele Young Africans17 [8]
Flag of Burundi.svg Saidi Ntibazonkiza Simba
2023-24 Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Stephane Aziz Ki Young Africans21
20224–25 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Jean Charles AhouaSimba16

All-time goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsYears
1 Flag of Tanzania.svg John Bocco 1552008
2 Flag of Uganda.svg Emmanuel Okwi 972009-2019

Assists

SeasonNat.PlayerTeamAssists
2021-22 Flag of Senegal.svg Pape Sakho Simba6
2022-23 Flag of Zambia.svg Clatous Chama 14
2023-24 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Kipre JuniorAzam9
2024-25 Flag of Tanzania.svg Feisal Salum 13

Clean sheets

SeasonNat.GoalskeeperTeamClean sheets
2022-23 Flag of Mali.svg Djigui Diarra Yanga14
2023-24 Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Ley Matampi Coastal Union15
2024-25 Flag of Guinea.svg Moussa Camara Simba19

TFF Awards

References

  1. "Tanzania – List of champions". RSSSF.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  2. Football, in Tanzania (18 November 2008). "POPULAR MUSIC, SPORTS, AND POLITICS: A DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN CULTURAL MOVEMENTS IN DAR ES SALAAM, the 1930s-1960s" (PDF). TSURUTA, Tadasu. POPULAR MUSIC, SPORTS, AND POLITICS: A DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN CULTURAL MOVEMENTS IN DAR ES SALAAM, the 1930s–1960s. African Study Monographs 2003, 24(3): 195–222. 24 (3): 206. doi:10.14989/68221. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
  3. "About the Premier League". Tanzania Football Federation. 26 February 2010. Archived from the original on 28 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  4. "Tanzania – List of Champions". RSSSF . Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  5. "Tanzania - List of Champions". RSSSF . Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  6. "Table of top scorers Tanzania Premier League 2021". www.besoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  7. "Table of top scorers Tanzania Premier League 2022". www.besoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  8. "Wafungaji bora NBC Premier League 2022/2023 Top Scorers". https://wasomiajira.com/ . 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.{{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)