Taifa Stars to face Bulgaria and Mongolia in FIFA Series project
Taifa Stars players pose shortly before clashing with Morocco in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) match at Stade Laurent Pokou in San Pedro, Ivory Coast. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- According to the fixture, Taifa Stars will play their first match on March 22 against Bulgaria and another against Mongolia on March 25. Apart from Azerbaijan, other countries that will host the matches to be facilitate by FIFA are Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.
Dar es Salaam. The national football team (Taifa Stars) are among the national teams of seven African countries that have been given a chance to feature in the pilot project of the world football governing body (FIFA)’s series of international friendly matches.
Aside from Tanzania, other countries that have been given the chance are Algeria, South Africa, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea and Central African Republic.
The countries will feature in special groups together with teams from other continents such as Europe, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), Asia, and North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf).
Taifa Stars have been grouped with Azerbaijan, Bulgaria who are from UEFA and Mongolia (Asia). The teams will meet in Azerbaijan.
According to the fixture, Taifa Stars will play their first match on March 22 against Bulgaria and another against Mongolia on March 25. Apart from Azerbaijan, other countries that will host the matches to be facilitate by FIFA are Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.
The initiative will provide member associations with a more regular opportunity to face national teams from other continents, which will serve to unlock technical development opportunities previously unavailable to many of them.
The FIFA Series will also provide the participating member associations with their own additional commercial opportunities and exposure. Ahead of the full roll-out in March 2026, the pilot project will run from 18 to 26 March 2024.
The forthcoming edition of the FIFA Series will feature national teams from all six confederations, and future instalments are planned during every March international match window of even years.
“The FIFA Series is a really positive step forward for national-team football at global level,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“Our member associations have been telling us for a long time now of their desire to test themselves against their counterparts from all around the world, and now they can do so within the current Men’s International Match Calendar. More meaningful matches will enable far more valuable footballing interaction for players, teams and fans,” he said.
