THE Tanzanian national football team, Taifa Stars, is gearing up for a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Zambia, but the team will be without some key players until after the CRDB Bank Federation Cup final on June 2.

According to sources within the Young Africans camp, their players will join the Taifa Stars squad after the Federation Cup final, which is scheduled for Sunday. 

This slight delay in joining the national team training camp means that the players will have limited preparation time before the important qualifier.

Taifa Stars have set to face Zambia in a Group E match for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers which will take place on June 11 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Zambia. 

The 2026 World Cup finals, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will see nine teams from Africa qualify, an increase from the previous five. 

The qualification process involves nine groups, with the winner of each group earning a spot in the finals.

So far, Taifa Stars have played two matches in their group. The team started their campaign with a 1-0 away victory against Niger on November 18, last year, at the Marrakech Stadium in Morocco, thanks to a goal from Charles M’mombwa. 

However, they faced a setback in their second match, losing 2-0 to Morocco at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on November 21, last year.

Group E comprises Morocco, Zambia, Niger, Tanzania, and Congo, while Eritrea was excluded from the competition for reasons that remain unclear.

Acting head coach Hemed ‘Morocco’ Suleiman announced a 34-player provisional squad for the upcoming camp. Notably, the squad does not include team captain Mbwana Ally Samatta, a decision that has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. 

Additionally, Yanga defender Dickson Job has been left out following a disagreement with Hemed Morocco during the Africa Cup of Nations Finals in Ivory Coast earlier this year. 

Job had refused to play as a right back, insisting on his preferred central defense position.

Taifa Stars face a challenging task ahead as they seek to qualify for the World Cup. The absence of key players from Yanga in the early stages of the camp may pose an initial setback, but the team remains focused on their goal. 

Coach Hemed Morocco, despite controversies and challenges, has confidence in the squad’s ability to perform and secure a vital win against Zambia.

The Tanzanian football community will be closely watching the team’s preparations and hoping for a positive outcome in their quest to reach the 2026 World Cup finals. 

The upcoming match against Zambia is a crucial step in this journey, and Taifa Stars will need to bring their best to the pitch to keep their qualification hopes alive.

The full provisional squad called up for the Zambia match is as follows:

Goalkeepers: 

Ally Salim (Simba), Aboutwaleeb Mshery (Yanga), Kwesi Kawawa (Syrianska FC, Sweden), Yona Geofrey (Tanzania Prisons)

Defenders:

Haji Mnoga (Aldershot Town, England), Bakari Mwamnyeto (Yanga), Ibrahim Bacca (Yanga), Nickson Kibabage (Yanga), Mohamed Hussein (Simba), Lameck Lawi (Coastal Union), Israel Mwenda (Simba), Mukrim Issa (Ihefu), Lusajo Mwaikenda (Azam), Pascal Msindo (Azam), Nathaniel Chilambo (Azam)

Midfielders: 

Novatus Dismas (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), Yussuf Kagoma (Singida Fountain Gate), Morice Michael (RFK Novi Sad, Serbia), Himid Mao (Tala’ea El Gaish, Egypt), Feisal Salum (Azam), Mudathir Yahya (Yanga), Yahya Zayd (Azam), Abel Josiah (TDS – TFF Academy)

Forwards: 

Edwin Balua (Simba), Simon Msuva (Alnajmah, Saudi Arabia), Kibu Denis (Simba), Cyprian Kachwele (Whitecaps 2, USA), Ben Starkie (Ilkeston Town, England), Charles M’mombwa (Macarthur, Australia), Wazir Junior (KMC), Ibrahim Hamad (Zimamoto), Kelvin John (Genk, Belgium), Abdul Suleiman (Azam), Clement Mzize (Yanga)