DAR ES SALAAM: THE President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Wallace Karia, says Tanzania is aiming for a competitive showing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027, stressing that the country’s co-hosting role should go beyond participation and instead deliver strong performance on home soil.
Karia made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News’, noting that preparations for the tournament that will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, are centred on long-term planning and improving the national team’s international competitiveness.
“Our target is not just to host and participate in AFCON 2027, but to compete and perform well,” Karia said. “One of our priorities is to improve our FIFA ranking by playing competitive international matches.” He said.
Tanzania’s preparation strategy places strong emphasis on FIFA international windows that provide opportunities for the national team to face higher-ranked opponents and gain valuable experience.
“Playing during FIFA windows gives the team the challenges it needs to improve. Every competitive match contributes to our growth and helps us earn important FIFA ranking points,” he said.
Karia noted that a large proportion of the current Taifa Stars squad has come through the country’s youth development structures that he described as a key foundation for the team’s future competitiveness. He added that this pathway continues to produce players capable of progressing to the senior national team, strengthening confidence in Tanzania’s football development system.
The TFF president also highlighted the importance of international exposure through competitions organised by FIFA, saying such tournaments are crucial in preparing the team for major continental events.
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“Participating in competitions like the FIFA Series is very important for us,” he said. “It motivates our young players and gives them the opportunity to get used to playing against stronger football nations.”
Karia further said the Federation is working with the Government to facilitate travel documentation for overseas-based players of Tanzanian descent, a move he said would strengthen squad depth ahead of AFCON 2027.
“We appreciate the Government’s support in processing service passports for players abroad with Tanzanian roots,” he said.
“Their availability strengthens our national team as we prepare for the challenges ahead.” He, however, stressed that technical decisions on team selection and tactics remain the responsibility of the national team coaching staff.