Stumai Abdallah: From Women’s Futsal AFCON to WAFCON
They say women can multitask. We can confirm that this is true. At the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco are a set of nine Tanzanian players that featured in the historic first-ever Women’s Futsal Africa Cup of Nations 2025 that was held in the same country from April 22-30 in Rabat.
Aisha Mnuka, Anastazia Katunzi, Elizabeth Chenge, Fatuma Issa, Jamila Rajab, Janet Pangamwene, Naijat Abbasi, Stumai Abdallah and Violet Nicholaus carried the Tanzanian flag high at the continental showpiece and have deservedly made the cut to the team vying to make a name for the East African nation at the WAFCON.
At the heart of this charge is the evergreen Stumai as she is commonly known whose journey to the Twiga Stars has been remarkable and can be traced back to a commitment to excellence and a never-give-up attitude. She wants to belong to this high table forever and not just as a one-off.
Golden Boot Winner in the Tanzania Women’s Premier League with JKT Queens finding the back of the net an impressive 28 times in 18 games, Stumai means business.
Songea to the World
Tanzania first qualified for the WAFCON in 2010, and it took 15 years to return to the big stage. She wants this to be a normal thing for the Twiga Stars. She wants more young girls and women to play football back home – to feel what she feels when she wears national colours.
“Playing football gives me so much joy. I love football. It has given me everything. I am blessed to play this game,” acknowledges the lively Stumai whose eyes light up with these words.
“When I was much younger, my father supported me to play football. He took me to the football pitch and laid out cones every single day and taught me how to play the game from scratch. He did that for me,” she explains in detail.
Nicknamed Kuchini, Abdallah learnt how to play the beautiful game in the Black Belt area in Songea, southern Tanzania which explains the label. Chini in Kiswahili means south in regards to directions. She wears an ear-to-ear smile when referred to as Kuchini.
“You see, where I come from, there is not so many [professional] footballers that come from this region. So, I have a big responsibility to succeed. I have to do my very best to show that we too can play football and play at this level. It is important to inspire other young kids to aim highest,” she says with a serious look on her face while looking mid air.
Regions like Mwanza, Mbeya, Morogoro, Kagera, Tanga, Dodoma and Zanzibar have produced notable players over the years in the women’s and men’s categories for Tanzania.
Futsal Success
Stumai has her name etched in history as one of the goalscorers at the continental competition that saw Tanzania surprise many to book a place at the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup that is set to be held in the Philippines from November 21 to December 7 this year.
“My life is around football. So, when the opportunity to play futsal came about, I embraced it with open arms. I saw it as an opportunity to represent my country, my family and my friends. It was lifechanging. We gave our all. We came so close to winning the title, but we can be proud of the journey, and we shall use this experience to keep building,” Stumai adds.
Tanzania drew with Madagascar 4-4 in their opener before beating Senegal 3-1 to progress to the semifinals where they edged Cameroon 3-2 to book a place in the final. The scoreline was 2-2 until Morocco grabbed the winner 11 seconds from the end of regular time. While the result was heartbreaking, Tanzania made history.
“We have come from far as a team and as a country and we continue learning from every opportunity that is presented to us. We want to continue making Tanzania proud.”
WAFCON dreams come true
When Stumai was named in the starting lineup of Tanzania to face Mali in their Group C tie at the ongoing WAFCON, she knew that this was her moment – a reward for all the hard work over the years.
This took her back to when she moved from Songea to Dar es Salaam where she joined Makongo Academy while studying her Form 1 at the age of 13. “Football has always taken care of me. I was on a full scholarship. The academy was part of the school (Makongo Secondary School) and here we learnt to play the game – the basics.” Makongo is one of the most iconic sports schools in the country.
That ‘Class of 2010’ had the eventual core of the Twiga Stars that are currently running the show including the current face of Tanzania Women’s Football – Opa Clement.
Stumai explains, “I started out as a winger drifting between the left and right wings, but I also played as a left back.” Her versatility made her stand out of the pack. It can still be seen in the way that she controls the ball or when she comes up against defenders. She does not hesitate. She thinks two steps ahead of the defender in front of her – as if to show that she is in her head. She enjoys it. She feels that with football, she can express herself perfectly.
Chasing Records
A jack of all trades, Stumai who is a Private in the Tanzanian Army thanks to her services via football to JKT Queens – a military side that features in the country’s topflight league and competed in the CAF Women’s Champions League 2023, is also a businesswoman. Her business looks to connect loyal football fans with their stars by selling jerseys, football boots and general football equipment to them.
“Football is everything to me. It has given me everything that I have. I never ever thought that I would be traveling the world playing football but look at me now. My family and friends saw me playing in the game against Mali with my name on the back of my shirt at the WAFCON and they cannot stop calling and texting me. They are so happy for me,” Stumai adds.
Her 28 goals in 18 games in the league this immediate last season have prepared for the big stage. Her confidence is high and with the support of those around her, she feels ready.
As Tanzania take to the field on Friday against the reigning African champions South Africa, Stumai has an opportunity to contribute to what could be her nation’s first ever goal or win as the Twiga Stars have neither scored a goal nor won a WAFCON fixture since debuting in 2010.
Stumai could also potentially become the first ever Tanzanian to score at the CAF Women’s Champions League, CAF Women’s Futsal AFCON and WAFCON. History beckons! After all, her name Stumai means hope. What is life in general without hope? In football, it is everything.
