With only three days to go before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco, the Tanzanian government has called on fans and sports enthusiasts to show strong support for the national football team, Taifa Stars, by traveling to Morocco to cheer them on.
Taifa Stars, drawn in Group C, will open their campaign against Nigeria on December 23 at 2:30 a.m. local time at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.
They will then face Uganda on December 27 at Stade El Barid, before concluding the group stage against Tunisia on December 30 at 1:00 a.m. at Stade Annexe Olympique Prince Moulay Abdellah.
Acting Head of Government Communications at the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Hassan Mabuye, said the government has partnered with key sports stakeholders to set up a special arrangement to facilitate fans who wish to self-fund their trip to Morocco.
“This arrangement, coordinated with the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and Blueberry Transport Company, covers transport, accommodation, meals, visas, and match tickets,” Mabuye explained.
He added that Tanzania’s participation in AFCON offers not only an opportunity for Taifa Stars to shine but also a chance for East African countries to gain experience in organizing major tournaments, particularly with the 2027 AFCON set to take place in the region.
To ensure the team is fully prepared, the government, through the National Sports Council (BMT) in partnership with TFF, has sent Taifa Stars to a training camp in Egypt, where they will engage in practice matches to fine-tune their performance.
Given the importance of the tournament, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Paul Makonda, will lead the Tanzanian delegation in Morocco. The team departed yesterday to officially begin their AFCON campaign.