Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has officially announced a new date for the much-anticipated Mainland Tanzania Premier League showdown between fierce rivals Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba Sports Club.
The match, which has already been postponed twice, is now scheduled to take place on June 25, 2025, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Initially, the highly awaited encounter—listed as match number 184 in the league fixture—was planned for March 8, 2025, at the same venue.
However, TPLB controversially postponed the match, citing unavoidable circumstances.
The decision sparked anger and frustration within Yanga’s management, prompting the club to declare they would not take part in the rescheduled fixture.
In response to the controversy, Yanga filed a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS later issued a directive advising Yanga to first exhaust all available local dispute resolution mechanisms before escalating the issue to an international level.
Despite that ruling, Yanga stood firm in their decision and reiterated that they would not participate in the match.
This prolonged standoff only intensified the already simmering tensions between Yanga, the league authority, and other stakeholders in Tanzanian football.
In an attempt to resolve the deadlock, TPLB then rescheduled the derby to June 15, 2025, again at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Still, Yanga remained steadfast in their refusal to play, a stance that triggered intense debates among football fans, analysts, and officials regarding the fairness of the postponements and the club’s strong opposition.
Today, June 13, 2025, in what appears to be a final move to close the matter, TPLB announced that the derby would be held on June 25, 2025—the final day of the 2024/2025 Mainland Premier League season.
In a statement released by the board, TPLB called upon both Yanga and Simba to prepare for the match, stressing its potential significance in determining the season’s league champion.
Currently, Yanga leads the league table with 73 points from 27 matches, while Simba is just one point behind with 72 points from the same number of games.
This razor-thin margin sets up a thrilling climax to the league campaign, with the rescheduled derby potentially serving as a title decider if both teams win their upcoming matches before the showdown.
Yanga is scheduled to play Tanzania Prisons on June 18 at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya, followed by a match against Dodoma Jiji FC on June 22 at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
Simba, meanwhile, will face KenGold FC on June 18 before hosting Kagera Sugar on June 22.
Should both clubs secure victories in these crucial fixtures, the stage will be perfectly set for the June 25 encounter to determine the championship.
The anticipation is building across the nation, with fans and pundits alike bracing for what could be one of the most dramatic and memorable finishes in the history of Tanzanian football.
As tensions remain high and the stakes even higher, all eyes will now turn to the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on June 25.
The match between Yanga and Simba—the country’s most iconic football rivalry—promises to be a defining moment not only for the two teams but also for the legacy of the 2024/2025 Mainland Premier League season.
