The trophy was presented yesterday at Nyankumbu Stadium in Geita, following Geita Gold FC’s final match of the season, a 2-0 victory over Big Man FC of Lindi
Geita. The National Bank of Commerce (NBC), the main sponsor of the NBC Championship, has expressed pride in the growing success of football in Tanzania, as it officially handed over the 2025/2026 championship trophy to Geita Gold FC, who were crowned champions after finishing top of the table with 77 points.
The title win also secures Geita Gold FC a place in the 2026/2027 NBC Premier League, alongside Kagera Sugar FC, who finished second with 71 points and also earned promotion to the top flight.
The trophy was presented yesterday at Nyankumbu Stadium in Geita, following Geita Gold FC’s final match of the season, a 2-0 victory over Big Man FC of Lindi.
The match attracted hundreds of fans as well as various football officials, government leaders and political representatives.
Speaking during the ceremony, NBC Lake Zone Head of Business Mafwimbo Bihemo, who represented NBC Managing Director Theobald Sabi, said the bank was delighted with the positive impact of its investment in football, reflected in increased competition, the emergence of new talent and the overall improvement of domestic leagues.
He said NBC, which has invested over Sh32 billion in sponsoring the NBC Premier League, NBC Championship and youth football competitions, will continue working with stakeholders to ensure football grows further and contributes to social and economic development in the country.
“We congratulate all participants of the NBC Championship for the strong competition they showed throughout the season.
Special congratulations go to Geita Gold FC for winning the title and Kagera Sugar FC for earning promotion to the NBC Premier League.
These achievements reflect the growing level of competition in Tanzanian football,” said Bihemo.
He added that NBC is already seeing results from its investment through improved domestic leagues, stronger club competitiveness, and better performances by national teams in international competitions.
“We are proud to see Tanzanian football continuing to grow. The competitiveness that starts from youth leagues, the NBC Championship, and up to the NBC Premier League has improved the quality of the game and produced players capable of competing at higher levels.
This is exactly the impact we aim to achieve through our investment,” he added.
Bihemo further said NBC will continue strengthening its support to football stakeholders through various financial services, including club loans and health insurance for players and technical benches, as well as financial literacy programs aimed at improving the welfare of those involved in the sport.
On his part, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) President Wallace Karia praised NBC for its major contribution to the development of Tanzanian football through sponsorship of the three leagues, noting that the current level of competition in domestic football is a direct result of that investment.
“Today we are seeing a highly competitive NBC Championship from start to finish. Clubs are now more professionally managed, able to sign quality players and properly prepare for competitions. This is a major milestone for our football,” said Karia.
He urged Geita Gold FC and Kagera Sugar FC to use their promotion to the NBC Premier League to further strengthen their squads in order to raise the level of competition and also invest in stadium infrastructure so that fans can enjoy home matches in better conditions.
Speaking on behalf of Geita Gold FC players, team captain Yusuph Mhilu thanked fans, club officials, the technical bench and sponsors for their support in achieving the title.
He said the team is fully aware of the strong competition in the NBC Premier League and has already begun preparations to ensure it competes at a high level in the upcoming season.
