Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA women’s national football team, Twiga Stars, have intensified preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after Head Coach Bakari Shime unveiled a 30-player provisional squad ahead of an early training camp.
The continental showpiece is scheduled to run from March 17 to April 3 in South Africa, with 16 nations battling for continental glory.
Tanzania have been drawn into a challenging Group B alongside hosts South Africa, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
In a statement issued by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), the provisional squad was described as a carefully balanced mix of locally based talents and foreign-based professionals, a strategy designed to strengthen competition, enhance team chemistry and elevate overall performance ahead of the finals.
JKT Queens dominate the callup list with 11 players, including Najiath Abbas, Lidya Maximilian, Anastazia Katunzi, Christer Bahera, Donisia Minja, Ester Maseke, Winfrida Gerald, Janeth Christopher, Stumai Abdallah, Joyce Lema and Jamila Rajabu.
Simba Queens are represented by Asha Omary and Aisha Juma, while Yanga Princess contribute Diana Manaly, Neema Shau and Maimuna Kaimu.
Other locally based players in the squad include Asha Mrisho (Mashujaa Queens), Nusrat Jafar (Fountain Gate Princess), Husna Mtunda (Alliance Girls) and Suzan Adam (Tausi FC).
The squad also reflects Twiga Stars’ growing international footprint, with several overseas-based players earning call-ups.
These include Enekia Kasonga and Julieth Singano (Juarez FC, Mexico), Noela Luhala (FK Žalgiris, Lithuania), Violeth Nicholas and Hasnath Ubamba (FC Masar, Egypt), Opah Clement (SD Eibar, Spain), Clara Luvanga (Al Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia), Aisha Masaka (Brighton & Hove Albion, England) and Diana Lucas (Trabzonspor, Türkiye).
Speaking on the team’s ambitions, Coach Shime said Twiga Stars are targeting a semi-final finish, which would secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as WAFCON awards four World Cup tickets.
“The challenge is that only four teams qualify for the World Cup, so every nation will fight to be among the top four. We are aiming to reach that level,” said Shime.
He acknowledged logistical challenges in assembling the squad for extended camps due to the high number of foreign-based players but expressed strong confidence in the team’s potential to deliver a competitive performance.
Twiga Stars booked their place at WAFCON 2026 after defeating Ethiopia 3–0 on aggregate, marking their second consecutive appearance at the tournament and third overall, following previous participations in 2010 and 2024.
In their maiden appearance at the 2010 finals in South Africa, Tanzania exited at the group stage without registering a point.
At WAFCON 2024, Twiga Stars finished bottom of Group C with one point, recording one draw and two defeats.
As preparations gather momentum, Twiga Stars will be aiming to rewrite history and announce themselves as genuine contenders on Africa’s biggest women’s football stage.
