Tanzania will begin submitting match reports to Fifa on the use of the Football Video Support (FVS) system in its domestic league following the October 10 Kariakoo Derby between Simba and Yanga at Uhuru Stadium.
The match will mark the start of a reporting process under which the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) will share information with Fifa on how the video support system is being used in the country’s top-flight league.
Tanzania is currently the only country using FVS in its domestic league, according to TPLB chief executive officer Cornel Barnabas, giving the country an opportunity to provide practical experience on the system as other football stakeholders assess its use.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam on October 5, Mr Barnabas said the league has 240 matches, with 150 selected for submission to Fifa together with reports explaining how FVS is applied during games.
“We will start submitting reports to Fifa with the next match on October 10 between Simba and Yanga. This will open the process and we will continue with the other matches,” he said.
The decision puts one of Tanzania’s biggest football fixtures at the centre of the country’s FVS reporting programme, with the Kariakoo Derby expected to attract significant attention from football fans and stakeholders.
Mr Barnabas urged clubs, match officials and other stakeholders to use the system properly, saying Tanzania’s experience could provide lessons for other countries interested in adopting FVS.
“Other countries will be interested in learning from Tanzania, so we need to show that we can use the system properly and provide a good example to the world,” he said.
He said the TPLB had already secured approval to conduct Premier League matches using FVS, allowing the system’s application in Tanzania to be documented and shared internationally.
The reporting arrangement comes as the TPLB seeks to strengthen match-day management and improve conditions for players and spectators.
Separately, the board plans to introduce equipment capable of detecting odours in players’ changing rooms following complaints from clubs over conditions at some stadiums.
Mr Barnabas said the complaints included bad smells and the use of chemicals in changing rooms, issues that he said had contributed to some teams opting to move to other venues.
The board is therefore looking at measures that can help identify and address the source of such problems before they affect match arrangements.
The TPLB has also introduced measures aimed at improving the experience of supporters attending matches, particularly during high-profile fixtures such as the Kariakoo Derby.
Mr Barnabas commended the government for numbering seats at Uhuru Stadium, saying the move would make it easier for supporters to identify their designated sections.
“This arrangement will enable every fan to choose and use their designated seating area. Yanga supporters will sit in their allocated section, while Simba supporters will also sit in their designated area,” he said.
Tickets for the Simba-Yanga match are expected to go on sale on October 6.
Mr Barnabas also called on managers of stadiums hosting night matches to ensure adequate lighting to improve safety and provide suitable conditions for players, officials and spectators.