Tanzania Taking the Positives from Memorable AFCON Campaign

The Taifa Stars have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations just three times since the competition’s creation in 1957 – and they are yet to win a single game.

But my, how close they came at the 2024 edition…

Defying Expectations

Ranked 121st of all international football teams per FIFA’s standings – sandwiched in between the likes of Comoros and Estonia, little was expected of Tanzania at AFCON 24.

But after qualifying for the tournament in surprise fashion – drawing with Algeria in their final Group F game to deprive Uganda of a place at the finals, optimism was high.

Sports betting is popular in Tanzania, but few bettors would have been reaching for their favourite apps to place a wager on their national team for AFCON – a squad made up of players who, largely, ply their trade in the lower reaches of Africa and English club football.

The online vs. offline betting market in Tanzania is a battle often won by online options, with bookmakers’ sites and apps offering a wide variety of football bet types, a full A-Z of sports, and the convenience of wagering on the move. But still, much of the betting money was going on the tournament favorites – such as Nigeria, Morocco, and hosts Ivory Coast – rather than the Tanzanians.

A comprehensive 0-3 defeat at the hands of the Moroccans seemed to justify that verdict in the Taifa Stars’ opening game at AFCON, but as they showed in qualifying these Tanzania players are as determined as they come.

So it’s no surprise that they bounced back in sublime fashion next time out – and came a whisker away from celebrating their first-ever AFCON victory.

Late Heartache

Zambia were next up in San-Pédro – and this time Hemed Morocco’s men started the game in a much better fashion.

Simon Msuva may not be a household name to sit alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, but he too secured a move to Saudi Arabia in January when he joined Al-Najma.

And as if to commemorate the move, the Tanzania striker was soon celebrating a rare AFCON goal for Tanzania – his eleventh-minute strike handing them an early lead against the Zambians.

It would remain that way for almost all of the game, leaving the Tanzanians in the crowd who had made the trip to the Ivory Coast biting their nails to the quick.

But then the unthinkable happened. Patson Daka, a teammate of Nigerian duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi at Leicester City, was left in space and fired home a heartbreaking 88th-minute equaliser.

Hope was not all lost – Tanzania could still reach the knockout phase of the competition with victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in their final Group F encounter.

However, that game fizzled out into a 0-0 draw, with Mbwana Samatta carving out Tanzania’s best chance of a winning goal but just missing the target from a narrow angle.

Nevertheless, there are so many positives for Tanzania to take from the tournament and their play in general of late – they’ve already won one of their opening World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

They may not be joining the likes of Nigeria at African football’s top table any time soon, but these Taifa Stars are finally starting to live up to their name.