Dar es Salaam. The 2025/26 NBC Premier League season may not have matched the previous campaign in terms of goals, but it delivered a more competitive title race and highlighted the growing strength of Tanzania's top-flight clubs.
While Young Africans (Yanga) successfully defended their title to claim a record-extending 32nd championship, the country's four leading clubs scored fewer goals and collected fewer points than they did in the 2024/25 season, with the exception of Singida Black Stars, who emerged as the biggest improvers.
A comparison of the two seasons reveals a shift from attacking dominance to tactical discipline, with stronger defensive displays and narrower margins between the league's top contenders.
Yanga remain champions despite reduced attacking output
Yanga retained the league crown with 75 points, seven fewer than the 82 points they amassed during the 2024/25 campaign.
The defending champions also scored 71 goals, compared to 83 goals last season, representing a decline of 12 goals.
However, AbdulHamid Maolin’s side compensated for their reduced attacking numbers with an even stronger defence.
Yanga conceded only nine goals, improving on the 10 goals they allowed last season, proving once again that defensive consistency remains the foundation of championship-winning teams.
Although they did not dominate matches as emphatically as they did a year ago, Yanga's ability to grind out victories in difficult fixtures ultimately secured another league title.
Simba close the gap but lose attacking edge
Simba once again finished runners-up, but there were encouraging signs despite falling short of the title.
The Msimbazi giants collected 73 points, just two behind Yanga, compared to 78 points last season, when they finished four points adrift of the champions.
Interestingly, Simba's improved challenge came despite a significant drop in goals. They scored 54 goals, down from 69 in the previous season, a decline of 15 goals—the biggest among the league's top four clubs.
Their defensive record, however, improved from 13 goals conceded to 11, suggesting the team became more balanced even though they lacked the attacking sharpness that characterised last season.
Azam maintain consistency but attacking numbers fall
Azam FC continued their run as one of the league's most consistent teams, finishing third for the second consecutive season.
The club collected 63 points, only one fewer than the 64 they earned in 2024/25. However, their attack was noticeably less productive, with goals dropping from 56 to 46, a reduction of 10 goals.
On the positive side, Azam FC boasted one of the league's best defensive records, conceding only 12 goals, compared to 19 last season.
The figures indicate that while Azam became more difficult to break down, they struggled to convert chances into goals, limiting their ability to challenge for the championship.
Singida Black Stars make the biggest leap
Among the top four clubs, Singida Black Stars enjoyed** the most impressive improvement compared with last season**.
The club **reduced** its points tally from 57 last season to 50 this year, a decline of seven points, while also becoming the only top-four side to improve its goal-scoring record. Singida scored 47 goals, two more than the 45 they managed in the previous campaign.
Although the increase appears modest, it reflects greater consistency throughout the season and underlines the club's steady rise among Tanzania's elite.
Their improved performances suggest Singida Black Stars are narrowing the gap on the country's traditional football powers.
Top four score fewer goals
Collectively, the league's top four clubs scored 218 goals this season, compared to 253 goals in 2024/25, representing a decline of 35 goals. Yanga scored 12 fewer goals, Simba 15 fewer, while Azam's tally fell by 10. Only Singida Black Stars bucked the trend by adding two more **goals** to their total.
The statistics point to a season in which defensive organisation took precedence over free-flowing attacking football. Many teams became harder to break down, resulting in tighter contests and fewer high-scoring matches.
Points tell the story of a more competitive league
The points accumulated by the leading clubs further demonstrate how much more competitive the league became.
Yanga's total dropped from 82 to 75, Simba's from 78 to 73, and Azam's from 64 to 63. Singida Black Stars also saw their points tally fall from 57 to 50.
With all the top four clubs finishing on fewer points than the previous season, it is evident that the middle- and lower-ranked teams offered stronger resistance. Fewer comfortable victories meant the title race remained open much longer than in the previous campaign.
What the numbers mean
The statistics suggest the 2025/2026 season was defined more by balance than by dominance. While the attacking output of the leading clubs declined, the competition became fiercer as teams improved defensively and made life more difficult for the traditional giants.
For Yanga, lifting the title with fewer goals and points proves that consistency, rather than spectacular scoring, remains the key ingredient for success. Simba will be encouraged by narrowing the points gap despite scoring significantly fewer goals, while Azam must rediscover their attacking fluency if they are to become genuine title contenders.
Singida Black Stars improve in front of goal despite fewer points
Unlike the other top-four clubs, Singida Black Stars were the only side to improve their goal-scoring record compared to last season. However, the club's overall points tally declined from 57 last season to 50 this year, a drop of seven points.
Singida scored 47 goals, two more than the 45 they managed in the previous campaign. Although the increase appears modest, it demonstrates greater attacking efficiency and made them the only club among the top four to register an improvement in goals scored.
Despite finishing with fewer points, their improved attacking output suggests the team is continuing to develop offensively, even as it seeks greater consistency in turning performances into results.
