Florent Ibenge appointed head coach of Tanzania side Azam FC
Azam FC have appointed Florent Ibenge as their new head coach, marking the Congolese tactician’s return to club football following his departure from Sudan’s Al-Hilal Omdurman.
The 63-year-old, one of Africa’s most decorated managers, has penned a deal with the Tanzanian Premier League outfit ahead of the 2025/26 season, as the club looks to close the gap on domestic powerhouses Simba SC and Young Africans.
“The Tanzanian league is competitive, and there is a great rivalry between Simba and Young Africans,” Ibenge said after his unveiling on Saturday.
“We are among the top three teams in the league. Supporters, let’s work together to succeed with Azam FC.”
His arrival is expected to inject fresh ambition into the Azam FC project, which has consistently finished behind the more dominant duo of Simba and Yanga in recent seasons.
Ibenge, whose career spans national and club roles across the continent, brings a wealth of experience to the Tanzanian side.
He previously led DR Congo’s national team to a third-place finish at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and guided AS Vita Club to the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League in 2014.
He also clinched the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title with Morocco’s RS Berkane in 2022.
Azam FC, owned by the Bakhresa Group, have been pursuing a long-term vision of challenging for both domestic and continental honours. The arrival of Ibenge is seen as a statement of intent.
Club officials have praised the coach’s pedigree, with insiders describing him as “the right man to lead Azam into a new era of competitive football.”
With the 2025/26 season looming, Ibenge is expected to begin pre-season preparations in the coming weeks, where he will assess the current squad and identify areas for reinforcement.
His immediate task will be navigating a fiercely contested Tanzanian Premier League where rivals Simba SC and Yanga have traditionally dominated, both in terms of silverware and fanbase.
For Azam FC, the appointment signals a fresh start and a renewed push for top honours — under the guidance of a man who has built a career defying the odds.
As Ibenge put it: “It’s not about one person — it’s about all of us at Azam working as one team. That’s how we challenge the big boys and achieve something special.”