Taifa Stars — Tanzania’s national football team — are in one of the most significant periods in their history. As automatic qualifiers and co-hosts of AFCON 2027, the team are preparing to face Africa’s elite on home soil for the first time. This page tracks Taifa Stars’ next match, upcoming fixtures and their journey toward AFCON 2027 in Tanzania.
Taifa Stars Next Match — Latest Update
Tanzania’s Taifa Stars were scheduled to face Uganda on June 5 and Rwanda on June 9 in international friendly matches in Marrakech, Morocco as part of the FIFA international window running from June 1 to June 9 2026.
However, Tanzania’s national football team has been forced to cancel both scheduled international friendly matches against Uganda and Rwanda that were set to take place in Marrakech, Morocco, following a last-minute postponement attributed to health concerns raised by Moroccan authorities. The fixtures were called off after the match agents responsible for organising them cited sanitary and public health considerations as the primary reason. Oscar Mirambo, Secretary General of the Tanzania Football Federation, confirmed the development pending an official statement from the organisation.
Tanzania’s next confirmed fixtures will be announced by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) — follow @TFF_Tz on Twitter/X for the latest updates and bookmark this page which will be updated immediately when new fixtures are confirmed.
Why These Matches Mattered — AFCON 2027 Context
These friendly matches carried added significance as Tanzania builds toward hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Kenya and Uganda. The tournament represents a landmark opportunity for East African football, making current squad development and team cohesion essential priorities. Coach Gamondi was using these encounters to refine his tactical approach and assess the depth of his squad options.
Tanzania are in a unique position among AFCON 2027 participants. As co-hosts, they hold an automatic ticket to the continent’s premier football festival. However, they have been included in the official qualification draw — placed in Group L alongside Nigeria, Algeria and Madagascar — ensuring they face competitive international football rather than low-intensity friendlies as they build toward hosting the tournament.
Taifa Stars in AFCON 2027 — Group L
Tanzania are in Group L of AFCON 2027 qualifying alongside three formidable opponents. All three of Tanzania’s group stage matches will be played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam before their home fans.
| Date | Match | Kick-off (EAT) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 June 2027 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania vs Algeria 🇩🇿 | 20:00 | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, DSM |
| 24 June 2027 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania vs Nigeria 🇳🇬 | 17:00 | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, DSM |
| 28 June 2027 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania vs Madagascar 🇲🇬 | 20:00 | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, DSM |
The headline fixtures will undoubtedly be the clashes against the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Facing a squad packed with UEFA Champions League talent represents the ultimate stress test for Tanzania’s domestic-heavy roster. Tanzania’s upcoming fixtures in Group L will serve as the ultimate barometer for East African football readiness, exposing any structural weaknesses well before the world arrives in Dar es Salaam.
Coach Miguel Gamondi — Building Toward 2027
In February 2026 Tanzania’s Ministry of Sports extended Miguel Ángel Gamondi’s contract to coach the national football team. The Argentinian coach took charge ahead of AFCON 2025 in Morocco and has been tasked with developing the Taifa Stars into a team capable of performing with dignity — and ambition — on home soil at AFCON 2027.
Gamondi has been assembling squads with a balanced blend of experienced foreign-based professionals and standout domestic league performers, highlighting his intention to strengthen squad depth while building tactical cohesion ahead of competitive fixtures. The integration of foreign-based players serves a dual purpose — bringing international exposure and tactical maturity developed in diverse football environments, while locally based stars view these matches as opportunities to cement their positions.
Taifa Stars — AFCON History
Tanzania has only played in four AFCONs — 1980, 2019, 2023 and 2025. After qualifying for their debut campaign in 1980, Tanzania had to wait 39 years before qualifying for another AFCON — the 2019 edition in Egypt.
| Tournament | Host | Group Stage Result | Exit Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCON 1980 | Nigeria | Group stage | Group stage |
| AFCON 2019 | Egypt | Group stage | Group stage |
| AFCON 2023 | Côte d’Ivoire | Group stage — highest ever points total | Group stage |
| AFCON 2025 | Morocco | Group C — Nigeria, Uganda, Tunisia | Group stage |
| AFCON 2027 | Tanzania 🇹🇿 (co-host) | Group L — Nigeria, Algeria, Madagascar | TBD — on home soil |
In AFCON 2023, Tanzania failed to make it past the group stages after finishing fourth in their group alongside Morocco, DR Congo and Zambia. Despite the outcome, the Taifa Stars achieved their highest-ever points total at an AFCON.
Key Players to Watch
Simon Msuva — Tanzania’s most decisive player in recent qualifiers. Msuva’s goal against Guinea on 19 November 2024 secured Tanzania’s place at AFCON 2025. The forward is expected to lead the Taifa Stars attack at AFCON 2027 on home soil.
Novatus Dismas — one of only two players from the squad based in Europe during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Dismas plied his trade with Maccabi Tel-Aviv and brings valuable European experience to the Tanzania squad.
Paston Mnoga — eligible to represent both England and Tanzania at international level. He made his England U17 debut in February 2019 but chose to represent Tanzania, making his debut in a 3-1 friendly win over Central African Republic in March 2022. Mnoga started all three group-stage matches at AFCON 2023.
Cyprian Thobias Kachwele — a Whitecaps FC 2 defender in MLS Next Pro who earned his first call-up to Taifa Stars in 2024. He was called up for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in September 2024 and debuted on September 10 against Guinea. Represents the growing internationalisation of the Tanzania squad.
What AFCON 2027 Means for Taifa Stars
AFCON 2027 is not just another tournament for Tanzania. It is a once-in-a-generation moment — the first time the Taifa Stars will play at AFCON on home soil, in front of their own fans, at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
A string of heavy defeats during the qualification phase could obliterate national morale and trigger public apathy toward the massive infrastructural spending required to host the tournament. The Taifa Stars are playing for pride and momentum — they must prove to their citizens that they belong on the pitch with Africa’s elite, not just as polite hosts but as legitimate contenders.
Tanzania vs Nigeria on 24 June 2027 at a sold-out Mkapa Stadium will be one of the great occasions in East African football history. For Taifa Stars to win that match — against Africa’s most successful footballing nation in terms of AFCON titles — would be one of the sport’s greatest upsets and one of the most celebrated moments in Tanzanian history.
For ticket information for Tanzania’s AFCON 2027 home matches visit our complete ticket guide. For the full AFCON 2027 fixture list visit our fixtures page. For match day information at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium visit our Dar es Salaam city guide.
Last updated: June 2026. Tanzania’s scheduled June 2026 friendlies against Uganda and Rwanda were cancelled due to health concerns in Morocco. Next Taifa Stars fixtures to be confirmed by TFF. This page updated immediately when new fixtures are announced.