The semifinals will take place today, with Azam FC facing off against Simba from 8:15 pm at the New Amaan Complex, followed by Yanga taking on Singida Black Stars
Dar es Salaam. Four Mainland Tanzania powerhouses, Young Africans (Yanga), Simba, Azam FC, and Singida Black Stars, have qualified for the NMB Mapinduzi Cup semifinals, which will be held at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
The semifinals will take place today, with Azam FC facing off against Simba from 8:15 pm at the New Amaan Complex, followed by Yanga taking on Singida Black Stars tomorrow at the same venue and time.
The winners of the matches will advance to the final, scheduled for January 13 at the Gombani Stadium in Pemba, where Zanzibar’s President, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi, will be the guest of honor.
This year’s 2026 NMB Mapinduzi Cup features 10 teams: Yanga, Simba, Azam FC, Singida Black Stars, and TRA United from Mainland Tanzania. Zanzibar is represented by Mlandege FC, Muembe Makumbi City, KVZ, and Fufuni FC, while URA of Uganda participated as an invited side.
The host clubs exited early. Defending champions Mlandege FC were the first to bow out, followed by Fufuni FC, and then invited side URA of Uganda, before KVZ became the final local team to exit the tournament. competition.
The secret behind the host teams’ elimination
For three consecutive years, the Mapinduzi Cup trophy remained in Zanzibar.
Mlandege FC won the title in 2023 and 2024, while last year’s special edition in 2025, which featured national teams, was won by the Zanzibar Heroes after defeating Burkina Faso in the final.
That dominance has ended this season, with no Zanzibar team reaching the semifinals. Analysts and officials have linked the unexpected outcome to several key factors, including increased competitiveness driven by lucrative prize money.
Rashid Said Suleiman, Secretary of the 2026 NMB Mapinduzi Cup Organizing Committee, highlighted multiple reasons behind the Zanzibar clubs’ struggles.
These included the reality that football is a game of fine margins, the increased exposure of the Zanzibar Premier League through live broadcasts, the attraction of the top prize, and the pause in domestic league fixtures.
“Opinions may differ, but to me, our failure to reach the semifinals is not a collapse. It reflects the reality of football as a game of mistakes, especially in this era where technology plays a major role in analyzing opponents.” He added that the lucrative sponsorship package may have intensified competition.
“The strong prize incentive from NMB Bank may be one contributing factor. Our opponents benefited from the fact that the Zanzibar Premier League is now broadcast live on television, which made it easier for their analysts to study our teams.”
“Just like the Mainland league, our league was paused, and that may have slowed our teams’ rhythm and preparations. However, I must acknowledge that this was a very competitive tournament.
Every match felt like a final.” Sports stakeholder Abdulmalik Kassim Suleiman agreed that prize money raised the stakes. “If you ask me what contributed to the fall of our teams, I would say it is the lucrative rewards for the champions and runners-up. Sponsorship has increased competition and Mainland teams have come determined to win.”
He noted that in previous years only Azam FC approached the tournament with full seriousness, while some teams previously fielded youth or reserve players, unlike this season.
Another stakeholder, who requested anonymity due to his role in tournament committees, believed overconfidence also played a role. “Yes, the tournament has improved in quality, but our teams were hurt by overconfidence.
They entered believing they were strong enough to retain the title, while Mainland clubs came fully prepared and highly motivated.”
He pointed to strong first-team selections by Mainland clubs, including Yanga’s full-strength lineup in their opening match. Mlandege FC member Japhar Haji Abbas described the exit as a valuable lesson.
“We have learned from our own fall as defending champions and from the general failure of Zanzibar teams. This is a wake-up call. The tournament is now big and must be approached with full seriousness. We should rely on our registered league players instead of using the competition as a trial platform.”
Prize for NMB Most Disciplined Player Increased
Despite exiting early, Zanzibar clubs maintained pride through commendable discipline on the pitch. Several of their players won the NMB Most Disciplined Player Award, which initially carried a cash prize of Sh500, 000 courtesy of NMB Bank.
The award value has now increased from the semifinal stage, with winners set to receive Sh1 million in the semifinals and Sh2 million in the final.
Players who have so far received the award include: Aimar Hafidh Abdallah “Haaland” (Mlandege FC). Yakoub Said Mohammed (Muembe Makumbi City, twice), Michael Joseph Godlove (KVZ)
Others are: Jamal Saleh Ali “Jaku” (Mlandege FC), Abdulmalik Zakaria (Singida Black Stars), Okorasma Manyemi (Mlandege FC), Mulikyi Hudu (URA FC), Majid Khamis (KVZ), Otti Ronald (URA FC), Karim Ali Khamis (Fufuni SC) and Nassir Kombo (TRA United).
In the final group match, Yanga defeated TRA United 1–0 through a goal scored by Celestine Ecua, while TRA captain Kombo became the last player to receive the Sh500,000 NMB Most Disciplined Player Award before the prize increase for the knockout stages.
