Taifa Stars to get Sh1.3 billion if they win against DR Congo in Afcon

Dar es Salaam. The players and coaching staff of the Tanzania national football team (Taifa Stars) have been promised $500,000 (Sh1.3 billion) if they are to qualify for the  top 16 of the African cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.

Taifa Stars will tonight (January 24, 2024) be facing DR Congo at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Karhogo, Ivory Coast.

The Group F encounter has been scheduled to kick off at 11pm. Another Group F match will be between Morocco and Zambia at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San-Pedro.

As of now, no team in the group has directly sailed through to the round of 16 of the competition and this evening's matches will provide a clearer picture of which teams will progress to the knockout stage.

Morocco lead the group with four points, needing only a draw against Zambia to enter the next stage. Taifa Stars, on the other hand, require a win over DR Congo while ‘praying’ for Morocco to either win over Zambia or secure a draw in order to get the chance.

Currently, Taifa Stars have collected one point from two matches while DR Congo and Zambia have each collected two points from the same number of matches.

Also read: Government promises Taifa Stars Sh500 million if they qualify for Afcon 2023

Speaking on the phone earlier today (January 24, 2024), Minister for Arts, Culture, and Sports Damas Ndumbaro said the pledge has been made by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) in order o boost the morale of the players.

Ndumbaro called upon the players to play hard and come out victorious so that to make the country proud of qualifying for the top 16 stage for the first time in history.

“All the players are in good shape and ready for the encounter. We have seen improvement since our first match against Morocco and later against Zambia. Hopefully, we will shine against DR Congo,” said Ndumbaro.