Tanzania’s U-17 women’s national team, Serengeti Girls, have been knocked out of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign after a goalless draw against South Africa in the return leg of their qualifier played on May 31, 2026.
The young Tanzanian side produced a spirited performance but failed to find the breakthrough needed to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg, as the match ended 0-0 after regulation time.
Serengeti Girls entered the decisive encounter facing an uphill task following a 2-0 defeat to South Africa in the first leg at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
Despite creating a number of promising moments and showing resilience throughout the contest, Tanzania could not breach the South African defence.
As a result, South Africa advanced to the next stage of the qualifiers with a 2-0 aggregate victory, ending Tanzania’s hopes of securing a place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals.
The result brings to a close another qualification campaign for Serengeti Girls, a team that has continued to play a significant role in the growth of women’s football in Tanzania.
Their journey showcased the potential of the country’s emerging talent and highlighted the increasing competitiveness of youth football across Africa.
South Africa will now face Kenya in the next round of the qualifiers, with a place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup moving within reach for the winner of the tie.
While the campaign ended in disappointment, Serengeti Girls leave the competition with valuable international experience that is expected to contribute to the future development of the team and women’s football in Tanzania.
