Tanzania names a squad to play Zambia, however Mbwana Samatta is not included

The Taifa Stars of Tanzania are preparing for a World Cup qualifying match against Zambia, but several key players won’t be available until after the CRDB Bank Federation Cup final on June 2.

The players from the Young Africans will join the Taifa Stars team following Sunday’s Federation Cup final, according to sources within the team.

Due to their minor tardiness in reporting for the national team training camp, the players won’t have much time to prepare for the crucial qualifying match.

The 2026 World Cup qualifications between Taifa Stars and Zambia are scheduled to play on June 11 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Zambia in Group E.

Nine African teams, up from five, will make it to the 2026 World Cup finals, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

There are nine groups in the qualification phase, and the victor of each group advances to the finals.

Taifa Stars have participated in two group games thus far. On November 18, 2017, the team defeated Niger 1-0 on the road at the Marrakech Stadium in Morocco, all thanks to a goal from Charles M’mombwa.

But on November 21, last year, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, they suffered a defeat 2-0 to Morocco in their second game.

Group E consists of Tanzania, Congo, Niger, Morocco, Zambia, and Tanzania; Eritrea was disqualified from the competition for unspecified reasons.

Hemed “Morocco” Suleiman, the acting head coach, unveiled a 34-player tentative roster for the impending camp. Notably, Mbwana Ally Samatta, the team captain, is not included in the squad, a move that has confused observers and supporters alike.

Dickson Job, the defender for Yanga, has also been excluded after an argument with Hemed Morocco during this year’s Africa Cup of Nations Finals in Ivory Coast.

Job had insisted on playing center defense, refusing to play as a right back.

The Taifa Stars have a difficult task ahead of them in their quest to make the World Cup. Although Yanga’s early camp absence of important players may present an initial challenge, the team is still laser-focused on their objective.

Notwithstanding the problems and difficulties, coach Hemed Morocco is confident in the team’s capacity to play well and win a crucial game against Zambia.

The Tanzanian football community is looking forward to seeing the team’s preparations and cheering them on as they try to make it to the World Cup finals in 2026.

This journey’s pivotal game against Zambia will require Taifa Stars to perform at their highest level on the field in order to maintain their chances of qualifying.

The following is the complete preliminary roster that was called up for the Zambia match:

Goalkeepers:

Kwesi Kawawa (Syrianska FC, Sweden), Aboutwaleeb Mshery (Yanga), Ally Salim (Simba), and Yona Geofrey (Tanzania Prisons)

defenders

Aldershot Town, England’s Haji Mnoga, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim Bacca, Nickson Kibabage, Mohamed Hussein, Lameck Lawi, Israel Mwenda, Mukrim Issa, Ihefu, Lusajo Mwaikenda, Pascal Msindo, and Nathaniel Chilambo (Azam)

Midfielders:

Feisal Salum (Azam), Mudathir Yahya (Yanga), Yahya Zayd (Azam), Yussuf Kagoma (Singida Fountain Gate), Morice Michael (RFK Novi Sad, Serbia), Himid Mao (Tala’ea El Gaish, Egypt), Novatus Dismas (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), and Abel Josiah (TDS – TFF Academy)

Moving forward:

The following people are related to Simba: Edwin Balua, Simon Msuva, Kibu Denis, Cyprian Kachwele, Ben Starkie, Ilkeston Town, England; Charles M’mombwa, Macarthur, Australia; Wazir Junior, KMC; Ibrahim Hamad, Zimamoto; Kelvin John, Genk, Belgium; Abdul Suleiman, Azam; and Clement Mzize, Yanga.