Tanzania national football team

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 interim head coach is Etienne Ndayiragije from Burundi. 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).

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Tanzania women's national football team.

Tanzania

Nickname(s)	Taifa Stars
Association	Tanzania Football Federation
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	CECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coach	Etienne Ndayiragije
Captain	Mbwana Samatta
Most caps	Mrisho Ngasa (100)
Top scorer	Mrisho Ngasa (25)
Home stadium	National Stadium
FIFA code	TAN
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	134 (16 July 2020)[1]
Highest	65 (February 1995)
Lowest	175 (October–November 2005)
First international
Uganda 7–0 Tanganyika (Uganda; 1945)
Biggest win
Tanzania 7–0 Somalia  (Jinja, Uganda; December 1, 1995)  Tanzania 7–0 Somalia  (Kampala, Uganda; December 1, 2012)
Biggest defeat
Tanganyika 0–9 Kenya  (Tanganyika; 1956)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	2 (first in 1980)
Best result	Group stage (1980 and 2019)

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.

History

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.

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.

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 lost all three Group C matches. 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.

Honours

CECAFA Cup :

• 3 Times Champion (1974, 1994, 2010)
• 5 Times Runners-up (1973, 1980, 1981, 1992, 2002)

Competitive record

World Cup record

FIFA World Cup record										FIFA World Cup Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 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	To be determined									To be determined
2026	To be determined									To be determined
Total		0/21								33	7	10	16	35	50

Africa Cup of Nations record

Main article: Tanzania at the Africa Cup of Nations

Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances: 2
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1957	Not affiliated to CAF
1959
1962
1963
1965
1968	Withdrew during qualifying
1970	Did not qualify
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980	Group stage	7th	3	0	1	2	3	6
1982	Withdrew
1984	Did not qualify
1986	Withdrew during qualifying
1988	Did not qualify
1990
1992
1994	Withdrew during qualifying
1996	Did not qualify
1998
2000
2002
2004	Withdrew during qualifying
2006	Did not qualify
2008
2010
2012
2013
2015
2017
2019	Group stage	24th	3	0	0	3	2	8
2021	To be determined
2023
2025
Total	Group stage	2/32	6	0	1	5	5	14

African Nations Championship record

African Nations Championship
Appearances: 1
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2009	Group stage	5th	3	1	1	1	2	2
2011	Did not qualify
2014
2016
2018
2020	To be determined
2022
Total	Group stage	2/6	3	1	1	1	2	2

African Games

Football at the African Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.

African Games Record
Year	Result	GP	W	D	L	GS	GA
1965	-	0	0	0	0	0	0
1973	-	0	0	0	0	0	0
1978	-	0	0	0	0	0	0
1987	-	0	0	0	0	0	0
1991–present	See Tanzania national under-23 football team
Total	4/4	0	0	0	0	0	0

Gossage Cup / CECAFA Cup

Main article: CECAFA Cup

Gossage Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D * L GF GA 1947 Fourth Place 4th 1 0 0 1 1 3 1948 Third Place 3rd 1 0 0 1 1 3 1949 Fourth Place 4th 1 0 0 1 2 3 1950 Fourth Place 4th 1 0 0 1 0 4 1951 Third Place 3rd 1 0 0 1 0 1 1952 Third Place 3rd 2 1 0 1 4 8 1953 Third Place 3rd 1 0 0 1 1 5 1954 Fourth Place 4th 1 0 0 1 0 5 1955 Third Place 3rd 1 0 0 1 - - 1956 Third Place 3rd 2 1 0 1 5 7 1957 Third Place 3rd 2 0 1 1 4 8 1958 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 1 2 3 8 1959 Runners-Up 2nd 3 1 1 1 3 7 1960 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 3 11 1961 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 1 15 1962 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 0 19 1963 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 1 5 1964 Fourth Place 4th 3 1 0 2 5 10 1965 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 2 12 1966 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 1 2 1 7 Total 20/37 0 Titles 41 4 4 33 37 141 East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D * L GF GA 1967 Third Place 3rd 3 1 0 2 3 8 1968 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 0 8 1969 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 0 3 1 12 1970 Third Place 3rd 3 1 0 2 4 5 1971 Fourth Place 4th 3 0 1 2 2 8 Total 5/5 0 Titles 15 2 1 12 10 41

CECAFA Cup Record Year Round Position Pld W D * L GF GA 1973 Group Stage 5th 2 0 0 2 0 6 1974 Third Place 3rd 2 1 0 1 3 3 1975 Group Stage 6th 2 0 0 2 1 7 1976 Group Stage 6th 3 1 0 2 1 4 1977 Group Stage 6th 3 1 0 2 1 4 1978 Did not enter 1979 Fourth Place 4th 4 0 2 2 3 8 1980 Group Stage 5th 3 1 0 2 2 5 1981 Group Stage 8th 3 0 0 3 3 9 1982 Fourth Place 4th 4 1 1 2 3 8 1983 Group Stage 8th 3 0 1 2 3 6 1984 Group Stage 8th 3 0 0 3 1 4 1985 Did not enter 1987 Fourth Place 4th 5 1 2 2 2 3 1988 Group Stage 7th 3 1 0 2 1 3 1989 Group Stage 6th 3 0 2 1 0 1 1990 Fourth Place 4th 5 1 1 3 3 5 1991 Group Stage 7th 3 0 0 3 4 7 1992 Group Stage 8th 4 1 0 3 2 14 1994 Did not enter 1995 Champions 1st 5 3 1 1 5 4 1996 Group Stage 5th 3 1 1 1 3 3 1999 Group Stage 10th 2 0 1 1 1 3 2000 Did not enter 2001 Group Stage 10th 2 0 0 2 0 8 2002 Group Stage 7th 4 1 1 2 1 3 2003 Group Stage 5th 2 0 1 1 2 6 2004 Group Stage 7th 4 1 0 3 7 11 2005 Third Place 3rd 6 3 2 1 7 6 2006 Group Stage 9th 2 0 1 1 0 4 2007 Quarter-Finals 7th 3 1 2 0 5 3 2008 Group Stage 8th 4 1 1 2 3 5 2009 Third Place 3rd 6 2 2 2 6 3 2010 Quarter-Finals 7th 4 1 2 1 4 3 2011 Quarter-Finals 7th 4 1 1 2 5 4 2012 Third Place 3rd 6 1 4 1 5 6 2013 Group Stage 9th 3 1 0 2 3 6 2015 Group Stage 10th 3 1 0 2 3 6 2017 Runners-Up 2nd 6 3 2 1 9 6 Total 34/38 1 Title 121 29 31 61 99 181

Recent results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2019

Senegal  v  Tanzania

23 June 2019 2019 AFCON	Senegal	2–0	Tanzania	Cairo, Egypt
19:00 CAT	Keita  28' Diatta  64'	Report		Stadium: 30 June Stadium Attendance: 7,249 Referee: Sadok Selmi (Tunisia)

Kenya  v  Tanzania

27 June 2019 2019 AFCON	Kenya	3–2	Tanzania	Cairo, Egypt
22:00 CAT	Olunga  39', 80' Omolo  62'	Report	Msuva  6' Samatta  40'	Stadium: 30 June Stadium Referee: Ahmad Heeralall (Mauritius)

Tanzania  v  Algeria

1 July 2019 2019 AFCON	Tanzania	0–3	Algeria	Cairo, Egypt
21:00 CAT		Report	Slimani  34' Ounas  39', 45+1'	Stadium: 30 June Stadium Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar)

Burundi  v  Tanzania

4 September 2019 (2019-09-04) 2022 WCQ	Burundi	1–1	Tanzania	Bujumbura, Burundi
15:00 UTC+2	Amissi  81'	Report (FIFA)	Msuva  85'	Stadium: Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium Referee: Kokou Ntalé (Togo)

Tanzania  v  Burundi

8 September 2019 (2019-09-08) 2022 WCQ	Tanzania	1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–0 p)	Burundi	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
16:00 UTC+3	Samatta  29'	Report (FIFA)	Abdul Razak  45+2'	Stadium: National Stadium Referee: Norman Matemera (Zimbabwe)
	Penalties
	Nyoni Mao Kamagi		Ngandu Berahino Bigirimana

Rwanda  v  Tanzania

14 October 2019 Friendly	Rwanda	0–0	Tanzania	Kigali, Rwanda
19:00		Report		Stadium: Stade Régional Nyamirambo Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Davies Omweno (Kenya)

Tanzania  v  Equatorial Guinea

15 November 2019 2021 AFCONQ	Tanzania	2–1	Equatorial Guinea	Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
19:00 UTC+3	Msuva  69' Abubakar  90+2'		Obiang  15'	Stadium: National Stadium

Libya  v  Tanzania

19 November 2019 2021 AFCONQ	Libya	2–1	Tanzania	Monastir, Tunisia
20:00 UTC+1	Al Warfali  68' (pen.) Saltou  81'		Samatta  18' (pen.)	Stadium: Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet

Players

Current squad

The following 23 players were selected for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification against Equatorial Guinea and Libya.[2]

Caps and goals updated as of 19 November 2019 after the game against Libya.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Juma Kaseja	(1985-04-20) 20 April 1985	62	0	KMC
13	1GK	Metacha Mnata	(1998-11-25) 25 November 1998	3	0	Young Africans
18	1GK	David Kisu	(1997-08-05) 5 August 1997	0	0	Gor Mahia FC
4	2DF	Erasto Nyoni	(1988-05-07) 7 May 1988	88	5	Simba
5	2DF	Kelvin Yondan	(1984-10-09) 9 October 1984	82	0	Young African
2	2DF	Gadiel Kamagi	(1996-09-12) 12 September 1996	24	0	Simba
15	2DF	Mohamed Husseini	(1995-01-11) 11 January 1995	12	0	Simba
3	2DF	Bakari Mwamnyeto	(1995-10-05) 5 October 1995	9	0	Coastal Union F.C.
22	2DF	Hassan Kessy	(1994-12-25) 25 December 1994	8	0	Nkana
23	2DF	Iddy Nado	(1995-11-03) 3 November 1995	5	0	Azam
8	3MF	Salum Abubakar	(1989-02-21) 21 February 1989	36	0	Azam
21	3MF	Mzamiru Yassini	(1996-03-01) 1 March 1996	25	0	Simba
17	3MF	Faridi Mussa	(1995-06-21) 21 June 1995	21	0	Tenerife B
20	3MF	Jonas Mkude	(1991-12-03) 3 December 1991	20	0	Simba
21	3MF	Abdulaziz Makame	(1996-04-24) 24 April 1996	10	2	Young Africans
19	3MF	Eleuter Mpepo	(2000-03-03) 3 March 2000	5	0	Buildcon
21	3MF	Salum Kimenya	(1992-06-11) 11 June 1992	3	0	Prisons F.C.
12	4FW	Simon Msuva	(1993-10-02) 2 October 1993	55	11	Difaâ El Jadidi
10	4FW	Mbwana Samatta	(1992-01-07) 7 January 1992	50	17	Aston Villa
9	4FW	Ditram Nchimbi	(1993-03-10) 10 March 1993	9	2	Polisi Dodoma
9	4FW	Ayoub Lyanga	(1994-07-28) 28 July 1994	8	1	Coastal Union F.C.
11	4FW	Hassan Dilunga	(1993-10-19) 19 October 1993	8	0	Simba
9	4FW	Miraji Athuman	(1993-10-29) 29 October 1993	5	0	Simba S.C.
	4FW	Shabani Chilunda	(1998-07-20) 20 July 1998	2	0	Azam F.C.

Recent call-ups

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	Beno Kakolanya		0	0	Simba	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
DF	Haruna Shamte	(1988-12-27) 27 December 1988	3	0	Lipuli	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
DF	Iddy Moby		0	0	Polisi Tanzania	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
MF	Himid Mao Mkami	(1992-11-15) 15 November 1992	51	2	ENPPI	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
MF	Mohamed Issa		0	0	Young Africans	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
MF	Frank Domayo	(1993-02-16) 16 February 1993	39	0	Azam	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
MF	Ally Hamis Ng'anzi	(2000-09-03) 3 September 2000	0	0	Loudoun United	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
FW	Adi Yussuf	(1992-10-03) 3 October 1992	0	0	Boreham Wood	v.  Burundi, 4 September 2019
^DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. ^INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. ^PRE Preliminary squad. ^RET Player has retired from international football. ^SUS Suspended from the national team.

Coaches

• Bert Trautmann (1975)
• Geoff Hudson (1977–1979)
• Slawomir Wolk (1979–1980)[3]
• Mahammed Msomali (1980–1981)
• Rudi Gutendorf (1981)
• Joseph Bendera[4] (1987)
• Paul West (1992)[5]
• Sunday Kayuni (1993)[6]
• Clóvis de Oliveira (1995–1997)
• Badru Hafidh (1998)
• Sylersaid Mziray (1998)[7]
• Burkhard Pape (2000–02)
• James Siang'a (2002)
• Mshindo Msolla (2002–03)
• Badru Hafidh (2003–06)
• Júlio César Leal (2006)
• Márcio Máximo (2006–10)
• Jan Poulsen (2010–12)
• Kim Poulsen (2012–14)
• Salum Madadi (2014, caretaker)
• Mart Nooij (2014–2015)
• Charles Boniface Mkwasa (2015–2017)
• Salum Mayanga (2017–2018)
• Emmanuel Amunike (2018–2019)
• Etienne Ndayiragije (2019-)

References

1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
2. Iranzi, Fabrice (3 September 2019). "2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Tanzania Taifa Stars took a flight to Burundi". RegionWeek.
4. "International Matches 1987 - Africa". www.rsssf.com.
5. "International Matches 1992 - Africa". www.rsssf.com.
6. "International Matches 1993 - Africa". www.rsssf.com.
7. "International Matches 1998 - Africa". www.rsssf.com.

External links

• Tanzania at FIFA.com