Simba Sports Club have received a TZS5 million ‘Goli la Mama’ reward following their 1–0 victory against Stade Malien in the final group-stage match of the continental tournament, played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
The reward was officially handed over on Friday, February 21, 2026, in Dodoma by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports and Government Spokesperson, Gerson Msigwa.
Simba are currently in camp in Dodoma preparing for two upcoming NBC Premier League Tanzania fixtures against Tanzania Prisons and Dodoma Jiji, with the latter scheduled for February 25 at the Jamhuri Stadium.
Speaking during the handover, Msigwa said the reward was accompanied by a message from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who congratulated the club for representing the country well despite falling short of their continental ambitions this season.
He said the outcome should serve as motivation for Simba to reorganize and strengthen their preparations for the next season, noting that football is a competitive game with many challenges.
“Our President has great confidence in Simba. You have quality players, strong leadership, and solid plans. Success at the continental level may not come immediately, but one day Simba will be crowned African champions, either in the CAF Champions League or the Confederation Cup,” said Msigwa.
He added that President Samia expressed her wish to witness Simba lifting a continental trophy before the end of her tenure, assuring the team of continued government support.
“The Government stands firmly with you under the leadership of ‘Baba Ester’. You must remain focused and fight hard in the matches ahead,” he added.
Msigwa also revealed that the President encouraged the club to pursue plans to build a Simba stadium in Dodoma, noting that the Government is ready to support the process, including facilitating access to land.
Simba Board Chairman Crescentius Magori thanked the President for her continued support of football development in the country and apologized to fans for the club’s failure to progress beyond the group stage this season.
He said exiting at that stage was not the club’s intention, but valuable lessons had been learned and measures would be taken to avoid a repeat.
“Regarding the stadium project, I appreciate the challenge and have received it positively. I will present the matter to the board and the investor so that we can explore how best to implement it,” Magori said.
Simba captain Shomari Kapombe said the reward was a major boost to players’ morale, describing it as motivation to work harder ahead of the next season.
“We sincerely thank the President for this support. It encourages us to regroup, improve, and ensure we achieve better results and meet our objectives in future competitions,” said Kapombe.