Dar es Salaam. A footballer can spend months preparing for a season, only for one tackle, awkward landing or collision to bring his career to a sudden halt.
For many players in Tanzania, however, the injury may only be the beginning of another struggle: who will pay the medical bill?
An investigation by The Citizen has found that only eight of the 16 clubs that competed in the 2025/2026 Mainland Tanzania Premier League season provided health insurance for their players.
The situation appears even more concerning in Zanzibar, where football authorities admit that regulations governing players’ health insurance remain inadequate.
The findings raise questions about the enforcement of regulations intended to protect professional footballers, whose livelihoods depend on their physical fitness and who face the risk of injury almost every time they take to the pitch.
For some players, serious injuries have resulted in lengthy spells away from football, financial hardship and, in some cases, the end of their careers.
“I could have continued playing”
Former Mwadui FC and Police Tanzania FC striker Gerald Mdamu knows the consequences all too well.
Mdamu was involved in an accident that left both his legs broken, forcing him to abandon football and begin a lengthy medical journey.
Looking back, he believes timely access to proper treatment could have changed his story.
“Players tend to take health insurance lightly, but they only realise its importance when they face problems. If the club I played for had this service, perhaps I would not be where I am today. I ended up in this situation because I received treatment late,” he says.
His experience reflects the vulnerability of players who may lack the financial means to pay for serious injuries.
The problem is not confined to retired players
Coastal Union midfielder Greyson Gwalala spent a year on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury and says he had to use his own money to meet part of the medical costs.
His treatment eventually cost about Sh5 million. Although the club initially covered some expenses, Gwalala says a fan later provided substantial financial assistance.
“There is no insurance for players at Coastal Union. Enforcing the regulations would be a great help,” he says.
The experience changed his view of insurance. “If I had not found someone to help me, I would have stopped playing football because the cost of treatment was beyond my means,” he says.
“The life of a player is at risk. At any time, a player can suffer an injury, so insurance is one of the most important things.”
A problem inside the clubs
The investigation found the insurance gap across several clubs despite regulations requiring players to have adequate medical protection.
At Young Africans SC, one senior player, who requested anonymity, says he has never been provided with health insurance during his four years at the club.
The player suffered a knee injury that required surgery, with the club eventually paying for the operation.
Singida Black Stars also acknowledges that it did not have insurance throughout the 2025/26 season after its contract with a previous provider expired.
The club’s information officer, Hussein Masanza, says the club takes responsibility when serious injuries occur. “If a player suffers a serious injury, we incur the cost of providing treatment and ensuring that he makes a full recovery,” he says.
Pamba Jiji FC admits its players also do not have health insurance. Club doctor Dishon Chacha says the absence of insurance can cause delays because the club sometimes has to wait for funds before paying for treatment.
Fountain Gate FC, Mtibwa Sugar and Dodoma Jiji FC were also identified among clubs whose players lacked insurance during the season.
KMC FC similarly acknowledges that it does not have insurance for players and staff. Chief executive officer Daniel Madenyeka says the club is aware that insurance is a regulatory requirement but is still working on how to address the issue.
Fountain Gate says it has instead entered into an agreement with a major hospital in Arusha, allowing players and staff to receive treatment without paying upfront.
Chief executive officer Kelvin Herry says the club settles the medical bills.
Some clubs show the way
Despite the gaps, some clubs have established insurance systems.
Simba SC, Azam FC, Mbeya City FC, Tanzania Prisons, TRA United, Mashujaa FC and Namungo FC are among the clubs that provided insurance cover during the season.
At Simba, the arrangement goes beyond players.
Club spokesperson Ahmed Ally says every player has individual insurance covering the player, his wife and two children. “Every player at this club has individual insurance, which also covers his two children and wife.
The cover is not limited to players and coaches; even Simba employees are insured,” he says. However, the cover applies to treatment within Tanzania and does not extend to medical care abroad.
ForYanga defender Dickson Job after sustaining an injury. PHOTO | COURTESY
Mashujaa FC also considers insurance essential because players are employees whose work exposes them to significant physical risks.
Club official Athumani Amiru says cases falling outside insurance coverage are handled by the club until the player recovers.
TRA United information officer Christina Mwagala says the club’s players are insured because it is a regulatory requirement, while JKT Tanzania player David Bryson says players receive insurance at the beginning of every season. Zanzibar faces a bigger gap
The situation in Zanzibar appears even more concerning.
Zanzibar Football Federation secretary Hussein Ahmada says regulations are not clear enough on health insurance, although efforts are being made to improve players’ medical protection.
The federation requires players to undergo medical examinations before each season.
“As the main body responsible for overseeing players in Zanzibar, I admit that we have failed to establish regulations that comprehensively address the issue of players’ health.
One of our plans is to ensure players start having health insurance,” Ahmada says. e says stakeholders have discussed the matter, but a comprehensive system has yet to be completed.
Ahmada also believes some players may have quit football because they could not access adequate treatment after injuries.
Zanzibar Sports Commissioner Ameir Mohamed says the government expects sports federations to oversee the issue and acknowledges that injuries have contributed to some players leaving football.
Different models
Not all Zanzibar clubs are without insurance.
JKU secretary Khatib Shadhil Khatibu says most of the club’s players are soldiers, making insurance compulsory, while civilian players can access services at the club’s hospital.
Mlandege FC introduced insurance last year after participating in international competitions where coverage was required under CAF regulations.
“We started the insurance arrangement last year in line with CAF regulations because we participated in international competitions and were required to have insurance,” says club secretary Hussein Ahmada.
The contrasting experiences show that where insurance is treated as a compulsory part of professional football, players have greater protection. Where it is not, injured players may be forced to rely on clubs, supporters, relatives or their own savings.
A risk that cannot be ignored
Football clubs invest heavily in players through salaries, signing fees, training and equipment. Yet the player’s health—the most important asset in the game—can sometimes be left without adequate protection.
The experiences of Mdamu and Gwalala show how quickly an injury can transform a footballer’s career and financial situation.
Insurance is therefore more than an administrative requirement. It can determine whether an injury becomes a temporary setback or a career-ending crisis.
If only half of Mainland Premier League clubs had insurance for their players during the 2025/26 season, the issue is clearly bigger than individual clubs.
It is a regulatory and enforcement challenge that football authorities must address before more players are forced to pay the price for injuries suffered while doing their jobs.
for their players during the 2025/26 season, the issue goes beyond individual clubs. It points to a wider regulatory and enforcement challenge.
