Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s basketball champions Dar City are set for the biggest challenge in their short but remarkable history as they prepare to compete in the final stage of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), slated for Cape Town, South Africa.
For Dar City, the BAL finals are not just another tournament—they represent a new chapter in a fast-rising story that has captured the attention of local basketball fans.
After dominating the domestic scene over the last three seasons, the club will now measure itself against Africa’s most established and decorated teams in what promises to be one of the toughest BAL editions yet.
Dar City booked their ticket to the continental showpiece after being handed a wild card, following an impressive third-place finish in the East Division of the Road to BAL qualifiers. While the route may not have been direct, the opportunity is enormous, and the club knows the stakes could not be higher.
In Cape Town, Dar City will face a star-studded field led by defending champions Petro de Luanda of Angola, Tunisia’s Club Africain, Egypt’s giants Al Ahly, Senegalese side ASC Ville de Dakar, and Rwanda’s APR.
The tournament lineup also features Morocco’s FUS Rabat, Nigeria’s Lagos Legends, Libya’s Al Ahly Ly, Ivory Coast’s Jeunesse Club d’Abidjan, and hosts Johannesburg Thunders of South Africa—making the finals a true test of depth, experience, and consistency.
The challenge is amplified by the pedigree of several opponents. Petro de Luanda, for instance, are heading into their sixth BAL season—more appearances than any other club since the league began—highlighting their dominance and continental know-how.
Egypt’s Al Ahly arrive as BAL champions of 2023, while Libya’s Al Ahly Ly come with momentum after finishing as runners-up in the 2024 edition. APR and FUS Rabat have previously reached the quarterfinal stage, while ASC Ville de Dakar have also shown they can survive the early rounds in past campaigns.
Yet, alongside the proven giants, this year’s finals will also bring fresh intrigue. Club Africain, Lagos Legends, Jeunesse Club d’Abidjan, and Johannesburg Thunders will all be making their BAL debut, adding unpredictability and new storylines to the competition.
In another notable development, Tunisia will be represented by Club Africain for the first time in BAL history—an indicator of how the tournament continues to evolve and expand across the continent.
For Dar City, the mission will be clear: prove they belong on this stage. While they may not have the BAL experience of some rivals, they arrive with confidence built on sustained domestic success and a winning culture developed in record time.
Since emerging onto Tanzania’s basketball scene in 2023, Dar City have enjoyed a rapid rise. They have collected two betPawa National Basketball League (NBL) titles and have consistently set the pace in the Dar es Salaam Basketball League (BDL), establishing themselves as the country’s most dominant side in recent seasons.
In 2023, they lifted the BDL title and finished fourth in the NBL, a strong foundation for a new club finding its identity. The following year, they reached another level—winning the NBL crown and finishing third in the BDL. This season, Dar City underlined their dominance by completing a commanding double, clinching both the NBL and BDL titles.
Now, the club’s domestic supremacy will be tested against Africa’s best. The BAL finals will demand tactical discipline, mental toughness, and the ability to handle pressure moments against teams stacked with international experience.
But if Dar City’s rise has proven anything, it is that they are not afraid of new challenges. And in Cape Town, Tanzania’s champions will have the perfect stage to show that their ambitions stretch far beyond local borders.
