Shime confident Tanzanite Queens will shine at W. Cup
Tanzania’s U-20 women’s national football team, the Tanzanite Queens, players during a training session at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam as they step up preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Poland. The Tanzanite Queens have qualified for the tournament for the first time. PHOTO | COURTESY
The Tanzanite Queens qualified for the tournament after overcoming Cameroon in the final round of the African qualifiers
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s U-20 women’s national football team head coach Bakari Shime says his players are ready to give their best when they make their historic FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup debut in Poland next month.
The Tanzanite Queens qualified for the tournament after overcoming Cameroon in the final round of the African qualifiers, securing their place at the global finals for the first time.
They won the second leg 2-0 in Zanzibar after losing the first leg 3-1, advancing on the away-goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate draw. Shime said the team’s preparations have focused on ensuring the players are mentally and physically ready to compete against some of the strongest women’s football nations in the world.
“We are going to Poland to do our best. We know the level of competition will be high, but we have prepared ourselves and we believe in the ability of our players,” said Shime.
He added that qualifying for the World Cup was only the beginning, with the team now determined to use the tournament to demonstrate the progress made in Tanzanian women’s football.
The Tanzanite Queens have been drawn in Group B alongside former champions Brazil, England and Canada, giving them a demanding introduction to the global stage. FIFA confirmed Tanzania as one of six debutants at the 2026 tournament, which will feature 24 teams across six groups.
Tanzania will begin their campaign against Brazil on September 5 at Stadion Miejski in Bielsko-Biała before facing England at the same venue on September 8. They will complete the group stage against Canada on September 11.
Shime believes facing highly ranked opponents will provide an important opportunity for his players to gain valuable international experience.
“We respect all our opponents, but we are not going to Poland just to participate. We want to compete, fight in every match and make Tanzanians proud,” he said.
The coach also urged Tanzanian football supporters to continue backing the players as they prepare for their biggest assignment yet. The tournament will be staged from September 5 to 27 across four Polish cities: Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Łódź and Sosnowiec. It will be the 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Tanzania’s qualification has already been hailed as a major milestone for the country’s women’s game, with the team joining Ghana and Nigeria as Africa’s representatives at the tournament.
With Brazil, England and Canada standing between the Tanzanite Queens and the knockout stage, Shime says his side will approach every match with confidence, discipline and determination as they seek to make a memorable first appearance on the world stage.
