THE Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) is set to make significant adjustments to its calendar to accommodate the Confederation of African Football (CAF)'s recent changes to the continental football schedule.

These changes are mainly driven by the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers, set to begin on October 25, with Tanzania facing Sudan in an away fixture.

TPLB chief executive officer Almas Kasongo confirmed that the league’s schedule will be revised to allow for players to participate in national duties and return to their clubs. 

Players will depart for national duty on October 25 and return on November 1, while the first round of first leg games will then resume on December 20-27.

CAF's adjustments to the Champions League and Confederations Cup, with the first group-stage games now slated for November 26-28, will also affect the Premier League’s fixture schedule across November, December, and January.

Kasongo (pictured) stressed the importance of these early adjustments to ensure a smooth transition for the domestic league and to avoid fixture congestion later in the season.

 “The Premier League schedule has been revised following CAF's decision to modify the calendar," he stated. "The CHAN tournament finals will take place from February 1-28, co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, but the qualifying playoffs begin from October 25-27."

He added that the usual dates for CAF Champions League group-stage fixtures, originally scheduled for October, have now been moved to November 26-28.
 “These changes have impacted our domestic league, prompting the board to implement several fixture adjustments to ensure that we maintain a healthy flow of games and complete our domestic competitions on time,” Kasongo added.

He also noted that these adjustments would likely pose challenges for the annual Mapinduzi Cup, particularly for top clubs like Simba SC and Young Africans SC, who are competing in both the CAF tournaments and domestic competitions.
 
Simba and Young Africans will be involved in CAF matches scheduled for January 3 and 5, which coincide with key dates in the Mapinduzi Cup, including its semifinals on January 8 and 10.

"The CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup group stages in November, December, and January will undoubtedly affect the domestic league and the Mapinduzi Cup, especially for teams like Simba and Young Africans. 

“However, I believe the organizers and the participating clubs will find ways to address these scheduling conflicts while maintaining the quality of the competition," Kasongo stated.

He further explained that the TPLB is committed to maintaining accurate schedules and making timely adjustments to align the Premier League season with other domestic competitions, such as the Federation Cup and the Community Shield, despite the challenges posed by the revised CAF schedule.

As the Tanzanian football scene braces for a congested fixture period, fans will be eagerly anticipating how the league, its teams, and CAF competitions will unfold in the coming months.