Dar es Salaam. Tanzania football giants Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba S.C. could meet again at the the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar City during the 2026 Union Cup, which is scheduled to kick off on April 21.
The possibility of another high-profile encounter comes only days after the two rivals faced each other in a Tanzania Mainland Premier League match on March 1, which ended in a goalless draw at the same venue in Zanzibar.
With both sides now listed among the eight teams expected to compete in the upcoming Union Cup, fans could witness another fierce showdown if the draw places them in the same group or if they meet in the knockout stage.
Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Hussein Ahmada Vuai, secretary general of the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF), confirmed that Yanga and Simba are among the participating teams in the tournament.
The competition will feature four teams from Mainland Tanzania and four from Zanzibar.
According to Vuai, the Mainland representatives will be Yanga, Simba, Singida Black Stars, and Azam FC. These clubs also participated in the recent Mapinduzi Cup, which was held earlier this year in Zanzibar.
During that tournament, Yanga emerged champions after defeating Azam FC in the final played on January 13, 2026, at the Gombani Stadium in Pemba Island.
Simba and Singida Black Stars both exited the competition at the semifinal stage, each suffering narrow 1–0 defeats against their respective opponents.
From Zanzibar, the teams set to compete in the Union Cup are Mlandege FC, Mafunzo FC, KVZ FC, and Mwembemakumbi City.
The tournament will therefore bring together some of the strongest sides from both sides of the Union.
Vuai said the eight teams will be divided into two groups, although the official draw and fixtures will be announced later by the organizers. The tournament is scheduled to run from April 21 to April 26, providing nearly a week of competitive football in Zanzibar.
Yanga will enter the tournament as the defending champions of the Union Cup.
The club won the 2025 edition after defeating JKU 1–0 in the final held on May 1, 2025, also at Gombani Stadium in Pemba.
That victory strengthened Yanga’s status as the most successful club in the history of the Union Cup. The Mainland giants have now lifted the trophy seven times, with previous triumphs recorded in 1983, 1987, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2000 and most recently in 2025.
