Zanzibar national football team

Last updated

Zanzibar
Zanzibar Football Association.svg
Association Zanzibar Football Federation
Confederation CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation CECAFA
(Central & East Africa)
Head coachHababuu Ali Omar
Most caps Suleiman Selembe (32)
Top scorer Abdallah Juma Ally (9)
Home stadium Amaan Stadium
FIFA code ZAN
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First colours
Kit left arm zanzibar2021a.png
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Second colours
First international
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg  Tanganyika 3–1 Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar Under British Rule.svg
(Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika; 18 September 1947)
Biggest win
Unofficial
Flag of Zanzibar.svg  Zanzibar 6–0 Raetia  Flag of Raetia.svg
(Arbil, Iraq; 4 June 2012)
Official
Flag of Zanzibar.svg  Zanzibar 4–0 Burundi  Flag of Burundi.svg
(Mumias, Kenya; 29 November 2009)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg  Kenya 10–0 Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar Under British Rule.svg
(Nairobi, Kenya; 4 October 1961)
VIVA World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2012 )
Best resultThird place (2012)
CECAFA Cup
Appearances58 (first in 1947)
Best resultChampions (1995)
FIFI Wild Cup/ELF Cup
Appearances2 (first in 2006 )
Best result FIFI Wild Cup: Runners-up
(2006)
ELF Cup: Fourth place
(2006)
Mapinduzi Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2025 )
Best resultChampions (2025)

The Zanzibar national football team represents Zanzibar in international football and is controlled by the Zanzibar Football Federation.

Contents

History

Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup. The island is part of the nation of the United Republic of Tanzania, which holds FIFA recognition at the international level. Prior to the union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika in 1964, Zanzibar was a fully independent member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but never qualified for the African Nations Cup.

Zanzibar was a provisional member of the N.F.-Board. The team placed second in the 2006 FIFI Wild Cup tournament, losing 4–1 on penalties to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the final. For that tournament, they were coached by the German comedian Oliver Pocher.

Their U-20 team also played in the 2006 ELF Cup, finishing fourth of eight, winning one game (1–0 against Kyrgyzstan's national football team) and drawing twice (against Gagauzia and Greenland) before losing 5–0 to Northern Cyprus in the semifinal. They regularly play in the CECAFA Cup, which includes national teams from Central and East Africa, and in 1995 they became champions, winning the final match 1–0 against the host nation, Uganda.

In March 2017, Zanzibar were admitted to CAF, becoming its 55th member, [1] only for their membership to be rescinded four months later, with CAF president Ahmad Ahmad claiming the region should never have been admitted as it is not a sovereign nation. [2]

Zanzibar won their first international trophy with the 2025 Mapinduzi Cup after defeating Burkina Faso 2–1 in the final. [3]

Results and fixtures

27 December 2023 Friendly Tanzania  Flag of Tanzania.svg0–0Flag of Zanzibar.svg  Zanzibar

2025

3 January 2025 2025 Mapinduzi Cup GS Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar.svg1–0Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania Tanzania
18:15 
  • Salum Soccerball shade.svg51'
Report Stadium: Gombami Stadium
6 January 2025 2025 Mapinduzi Cup GS Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar.svg0–1Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso Tanzania
18:15 Report
Stadium: Gombami Stadium
10 January 2025 2025 Mapinduzi Cup GS Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar.svg1–0Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya Tanzania
18:15
Report Stadium: Gombami Stadium
13 January 2025 2025 Mapinduzi Cup F Zanzibar  Flag of Zanzibar.svg2–1Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso Tanzania
17:15
Report
Stadium: Gombami Stadium

Coaching history

Notable players

Records

As of 14 December 2019
Players in bold are still active with Zanzibar.

Competition records

CECAFA Cup

Zanzibar competed in the Gossage Cup from 1949 to 1967, when the competition was renamed to the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup:

Gossage Cup record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGA
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg 1947Fourth Place4th100113
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg 1948Third Place3rd100113
Flag of Zanzibar Under British Rule.svg 1949Fourth Place4th100123
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg 1950Fourth Place4th100104
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg 1951Third Place3rd100101
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg 1952Third Place3rd210148
Flag of Zanzibar Under British Rule.svg 1953Third Place3rd100115
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg 1954Fourth Place4th100105
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg 1955Third Place3rd1001--
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg 1956Third Place3rd210157
Flag of Zanzibar Under British Rule.svg 1957Third Place3rd201148
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg 1958Fourth Place4th301238
Flag of Tanganyika (1923-1961).svg 1959Runners-Up2nd311137
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg 1960Fourth Place4th3003311
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg 1961Fourth Place4th3003115
1962Fourth Place4th3003019
Flag of Kenya (1921-1963).svg 1963Fourth Place4th300315
Flag of Tanzania.svg 1964Fourth Place4th3102510
Flag of Uganda.svg 1965Fourth Place4th3003212
Zanzibar-jan-avr-1964.svg 1966Fourth Place4th301217
TotalRunners-up20/3741443337141
East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup record
YearRoundPositionPldWD *LGFGA
Flag of Kenya.svg 1967Third Place3rd310238
Flag of Tanzania.svg 1968Fourth Place4th300308
Flag of Uganda.svg 1969Fourth Place4th3003112
Zanzibar-jan-avr-1964.svg 1970Third Place3rd310245
Flag of Kenya.svg 1971Fourth Place4th301228
TotalThird place5/51521121041
CECAFA Cup record
YearRoundPositionPldWD *LGFGA
Flag of Uganda.svg 1973 Group stage5th200206
Flag of Tanzania.svg 1974 Third place3rd210133
Flag of Zambia (1964-1996).svg 1975 Group stage6th200217
Zanzibar-jan-avr-1964.svg 1976 Group stage6th310214
Flag of Somalia.svg 1977 Group stage6th310214
Flag of Malawi.svg 1978 Did not enter
Flag of Kenya.svg 1979 Fourth place4th402238
Flag of Sudan.svg 1980 Group stage5th310225
Flag of Tanzania.svg 1981 Group stage8th300339
Flag of Uganda.svg 1982 Fourth place4th411238
Flag of Kenya.svg 1983 Group stage8th301236
Flag of Uganda.svg 1984 Group stage8th300314
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg 1985 Did not enter
Flag of Ethiopia (1987-1991).svg 1987 Fourth slace4th512223
Flag of Malawi.svg 1988 Group stage7th310213
Flag of Kenya.svg 1989 Group stage6th302101
Zanzibar-jan-avr-1964.svg 1990 Fourth place4th511335
Flag of Uganda.svg 1991 Group stage7th300347
Flag of Tanzania.svg 1992 Group stage8th4103214
Flag of Kenya.svg 1994 Did not enter
Flag of Uganda.svg 1995 Champions1st531154
Flag of Sudan.svg 1996 Group stage5th311133
Flag of Rwanda (1961-2001).svg 1999 Group stage10th201113
Flag of Uganda.svg 2000 Did not enter
Flag of Rwanda.svg 2001 Group stage10th200208
Flag of Tanzania.svg 2002 Group stage7th411213
Flag of Sudan.svg 2003 Group stage5th201126
Flag of Ethiopia.svg 2004 Group stage7th4103711
Flag of Rwanda.svg 2005 Third place3rd632176
Flag of Ethiopia.svg 2006 Group stage9th201104
Flag of Tanzania.svg 2007 Quarter-finals7th312053
Flag of Uganda.svg 2008 Group stage8th411235
Flag of Kenya.svg 2009 Third place3rd622263
Flag of Tanzania.svg 2010 Quarter-finals7th412143
Flag of Tanzania.svg 2011 Quarter-finals7th411254
Flag of Uganda.svg 2012 Third place3rd614156
Flag of Kenya.svg 2013 Group stage9th310236
Flag of Ethiopia.svg 2015 Group stage10th310236
Flag of Kenya.svg 2017 Runners-up2nd632196
Flag of Uganda.svg 2019 Group stage8th301213
Total1 title36/40124293263100184

Africa Cup of Nations

In March 2017, Zanzibar were admitted to the Confederation of African Football, becoming eligible for the Africa Cup of Nations. [1] The invitation was rescinded in July when FIFA rules forbade two teams from one nation. [2]

YearRoundPositionGPWDLGSGA
African Cup of Nations
19571963 Did not enter
19652023 Ineligible

Non-FIFA tournaments

World tournaments

World tournaments record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGA
FIFI Wild Cup and ELF Cup
2006 Runners-up2nd421176
Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg 2006 Fourth place4th513159
VIVA World Cup
Flag of Occitania (with star).svg 2006 Did not enter
Sami flag.svg 2008
Flag of Padania.svg 2009
Flag of Gozo.svg 2010
Flag of Kurdistan.svg 2012 Third Place3rd4301164
CONIFA World Football Cup
Sami flag.svg 2014 Withdrew
Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg 2016 Did not enter
Flag of Ogaden National Liberation Front(2).svg 2018
TotalThird Place3/10136432819

Honours

Regional

Non-FIFA competitions

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References

  1. 1 2 "Zanzibar admitted as full member of African soccer body". indianexpress.com. Indian Express. 16 March 2017. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Zanzibar loses Caf membership in embarrassing U-turn". bbc.com. British Broadcasting Corporation. 21 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  3. "Zanzibar stop Burkina Faso to win Mapinduzi Cup". CECAFA. 13 January 2025.
  4. "Huyu ndiye Ali Badru: Straika aliyekimbia vurugu Misri akiamini Simba itampeleka Ulaya". Archived from the original on 2021-12-07.
  5. "Badru mchezaji bora wa Februari Ligi Kuu Zanzibar". mwanachi.co.tz. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-01-27.