TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2024: Tanzania Team Profile
How the Team Qualified
Tanzania secured their place after a bold and well-earned qualifying campaign, marked by tactical discipline and impressive mental resilience. In the first round, the Twiga Stars upset the odds by eliminating Cote d’Ivoire, one of the most formidable teams in the region. After losing 2-0 away in Abidjan, the Tanzanians delivered a heroic performance in the return leg in Dar es Salaam, winning by the same scoreline and clinching qualification through a 4-2 penalty shootout win, amid an electrifying atmosphere.
In the second round, they faced Togo, a team showing significant progress since its 2022 debut. With a focused and inspired display in the home leg, Tanzania took a commanding 3-0 lead thanks to a strong collective performance and effective high pressing. Although they lost 2-0 in the return leg in Lomé, the aggregate score was enough to book their place in the final tournament in Morocco—marking their historic return to the continental stage, 15 years after their only previous appearance in 2010.
TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON History
Tanzania’s only previous appearance was in 2010, where they were eliminated in the group stage. Their return underlines the ongoing efforts to develop women’s football in the country.
Players to Watch
Clara Luvanga: A true sensation in Tanzanian women’s football, Clara Luvanga rose to prominence as the top scorer for the national U17 team, with an astonishing 36 goals. Her physical strength, positional awareness, and finishing ability make her a dangerous striker with a bright future at the highest level. At just 18 years old, she is already seen as the next big star of the Twiga Stars—bringing freshness and vertical threat to the senior national team’s attack.
Anastazia Katunzi: A tireless midfielder, Katunzi represents the new versatile generation of Tanzanian women’s football. She gained attention recently during the Women’s Futsal AFCON, where she played a key role in securing Tanzania’s historic qualification for the 2025 Women’s Futsal World Cup. Her agility, vision, and comfort in tight spaces make her a valuable asset in the midfield.
The Coach
Bakari Shime is a central figure in Tanzania’s women’s football development project. A disciplined and visionary coach, Shime is committed to building a sustainable structure for the women’s game in Tanzania, focusing on early talent identification, technical development, and collective progress.
As head coach of the senior national team, he has instilled a playing philosophy based on discipline, tenacity, and maximizing the physical and technical qualities of his players. He has promoted several young talents from the U17 and U20 teams, including Clara Luvanga, who symbolizes this dynamic new generation.
Ambitions and Group Analysis
Tanzania will compete in Group C alongside defending champions South Africa, as well as Ghana and Mali. Facing experienced opposition, the Twiga Stars aim to be the group’s surprise package, relying on their youth and determination. Their primary goal is to advance past the group stage and showcase the significant progress made in recent years.