Dar es Salaam. Tanzania women's national football team, Twiga Stars, departed for Morocco today to enter the final phase of preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), with a high-profile international friendly against Nigeria lined up.
The match is scheduled for July 19 in Casablanca, just a week before the continental tournament kicks off on July 26, and is expected to provide the Tanzanian side with a stern test against one of Africa's most successful women's football nations.
According to Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) National Teams Director Almasy Kasongo, the fixture forms part of the team's final preparations before they begin their Wafcon campaign.
The squad has been holding a residential training camp in Karatu, Arusha Region, where the technical bench focused on improving fitness, tactical discipline and team cohesion ahead of the tournament.
Following the completion of the camp, the team left Tanzania today for Casablanca, where they will continue with the final phase of preparations before the tournament gets underway.
Besides the Nigeria encounter, Twiga Stars could also face either Ghana or Mali in another international friendly before the tournament, subject to confirmation from the respective football associations.
"We are satisfied with the progress the team has made in Karatu. The players have responded well to the training programme, and today they have travelled to Morocco to continue with the final phase of preparations before the tournament begins," Kasongo said.
He said the coaching staff remains optimistic that the team will be ready to compete against some of the continent's strongest sides.
"We believe the technical bench has prepared the team well, and we expect the players to give their best and compete strongly against some of Africa's top teams.
"The friendly matches will give us an opportunity to assess the team's readiness and make final adjustments before the competition starts," he said.
Twiga Stars face a difficult task after being drawn in Group B alongside defending champions South Africa, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
Tanzania will begin their campaign against South Africa on July 27 at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca before taking on Burkina Faso on July 31 at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Rabat.
Their final group-stage match will be against Ivory Coast on August 4 at the same venue.
The tournament, which runs until August 16, will bring together Africa's top women's national teams and also serves as an important platform for countries to measure their progress in the rapidly growing women's game.
For Twiga Stars, the warm-up matches against Nigeria and potentially Ghana or Mali are expected to provide the competitive edge needed before they embark on their quest to make a strong impression at the continental showpiece.
