Taifa Stars in group of death at 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s national football team, Taifa Stars, face a monumental challenge to qualify for the top 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2025 finals, scheduled for December in Morocco.

Drawn into Group C, Taifa Stars will face football powerhouses including Nigeria, Tunisia, and their regional rivals Uganda.

This marks Tanzania’s fourth appearance in the prestigious continental tournament, following campaigns in Lagos (1980), Cairo (2019), and Côte d’Ivoire (2023, but held in 2024). While participation itself is a notable achievement, Taifa Stars are yet to progress beyond the group stage.

To defy the odds and qualify for the knockout phase, the team will need exceptional preparation, teamwork, and tactical brilliance.

Tanzania’s Afcon history

Taifa Stars made their Afcon debut in 1980, competing in a fiercely competitive Group A that included hosts Nigeria, Egypt, and Ivory Coast. Despite their spirited efforts, Tanzania finished fourth with just one point, failing to advance.

It wasn’t until 2019 that Taifa Stars returned to Afcon, ending a 39-year absence. However, the campaign in Cairo proved challenging.

Drawn into Group C alongside Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya, Tanzania lost all three matches, finishing at the bottom of the group without a single point. In the 2023 edition, but held in 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire, Taifa Stars showed marginal improvement.

Competing in Group F against Morocco, DR Congo, and Zambia, Tanzania earned two points from a 1-1 draw against Zambia and a goalless draw against DR Congo. Nevertheless, they finished fourth and failed to progress to the next round.

Challenging Group C

Taifa Stars will need to dig deep in Group C, which features three higher-ranked teams according to the latest FIFA rankings. Nigeria, the strongest in the group, are ranked 44th globally. Tunisia follow at 52nd, while Uganda are 88th. Tanzania, meanwhile, sit 106th, underlining the uphill battle ahead.

Both Nigeria and Tunisia are seasoned Afcon competitors with strong squads and rich footballing histories. Nigeria, a three-time Afcon champions, are renowned for their depth and attacking prowess. Tunisia, the 2004 champions, are known for their disciplined and tactical gameplay.

Head-to-Head records

Nigeria

Taifa Stars have faced the Super Eagles three times in official competitions matches. Nigeria secured two wins and one draw, highlighting their dominance.

In the group stage of the 1980  Afcon, Nigeria triumphed 3-1. Later that year, they claimed a 2-0 victory in a World Cup qualifier. Tanzania’s best result came in December 1980 when the teams drew 1-1.

Tunisia

Tanzania have faced Tunisia twice, with the North African giants maintaining the upper hand. In November 2020, Taifa Stars managed a 1-1 draw at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. However, Tunisia won the reverse fixture 1-0 just six days later.

Uganda

The regional rivalry with Uganda has heavily favoured the Cranes. Since 2009, Tanzania and Uganda have clashed 20 times. Uganda emerged victorious in 12 matches, Tanzania won four, and four games ended in draws.

Afcon 2025 fixtures

Taifa Stars will kick off their campaign on December 23 against Nigeria at the Fez Stadium in Fez. Four days later, on December 27, they will face Uganda at the Al Barid Stadium in Rabat. The group stage concludes with a clash against Tunisia on December 30 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex Stadium, also in Rabat.

Historical struggles

Tanzania have never advanced to the knockout stage in their three previous Afcon appearances. Breaking this trend in a group filled with high-calibre teams will require exceptional effort.

In the 2023 Afcon, Taifa Stars struggled offensively, managing just two goals in three matches. Addressing this weakness will be vital to improving their chances in 2025.

A ray of hope

Despite the daunting task, Taifa Stars head coach Hamed “Morocco” Suleiman said there is no reason to worry about other teams in the group as they can defy the odds.

Morooco said that Taifa Stars are among strong teams on the continent and they will train  hard aiming to do their best at the finals.

“Basically, there is no easy group in the competition. We need to show our prowess as one of the strong teams on the continent.

“We need to have confidence as a nation that we can achieve the best results,” he said.