By Victoria Godfrey
Tanzania's national women's handball team is targeting the Africa Zone Five title when the country hosts the regional championship next month, with preparations for the tournament reported to be 90 percent complete.
The competition, organised under the International Handball Federation (IHF), will run from November 4 to 8, 2026, at Filbert Bayi School in Kibaha, Coast Region, bringing together eight countries.
Tanzania Handball Federation (THF) president Michael Chibawala said the federation was working with government authorities to finalise arrangements, expressing confidence that the country would successfully host the competition.
He said the national team had an opportunity to use home advantage to challenge for the title, although success would depend on the players' performance against their regional rivals.
"Women's competitions may be different from men's, but the teams are well prepared, and we are also making good preparations. The most important thing is that the competition is being held here at home. We will do our best to perform well and become champions," he said.
The national team is training three times a day at Ngome 95 grounds, at the Transport Battalion in Dar es Salaam, as the technical bench works to improve the players' physical fitness and tactical readiness.
THF head of information, public relations and marketing, Vedastus Gunda, said all selected players had reported to camp and were participating in training sessions.
He said the technical bench was satisfied with the players' commitment, calling on handball stakeholders and fans to visit the training sessions and offer constructive views to help improve the team.
Gunda also urged Tanzanians to turn out in large numbers during the competition, saying public support would be important in motivating the players.
The tournament will feature teams from Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Botswana, Djibouti and Ethiopia, alongside hosts Tanzania.
With seven visiting nations expected in Kibaha, the competition will also provide an opportunity for Tanzania to demonstrate its capacity to host regional sporting events while testing the competitiveness of its women's handball team.
For the hosts, however, the immediate priority will be converting home support and preparations into results on the court.