Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s senior men’s national football team, Taifa Stars, will today face Liechtenstein in their opening match of the FIFA Series at the Pele Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
The match, scheduled to kick off at 5:30pm East Africa Time, marks Tanzania’s first appearance in the newly introduced FIFA Series, an initiative by world football governing body FIFA aimed at providing national teams from different confederations with competitive international exposure beyond traditional continental tournaments.
Earlier in the day, Aruba will take on Macau at the same venue starting at 1:30pm. The winners of both matches will progress to the final set for March 29, while the losing sides will meet in the third-place playoff.
Heading into the tournament, Taifa Stars appear as the strongest side on paper based on the latest FIFA rankings. Tanzania is currently ranked 110th in the world with 1,186.14 points, significantly ahead of Aruba (191st), Macau (193rd), and Liechtenstein, who sit at 205th and are the lowest-ranked team in the group.
Despite the ranking advantage, recent form suggests a competitive contest. Liechtenstein have endured a difficult run, losing all their recent matches. Their defeats include a heavy 7-0 loss to Belgium in World Cup qualifiers last November, along with setbacks against Wales (1-0), Montenegro (2-1), Kazakhstan (4-0), and North Macedonia (5-0).
Taifa Stars, on the other hand, have shown resilience in recent outings, particularly during the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco. The team recorded two 1-1 draws against Tunisia and Uganda, demonstrating defensive discipline against strong opposition.
However, they also suffered narrow defeats, including a 1-0 loss to hosts Morocco and a 2-1 setback against Nigeria in the same tournament. In addition, Tanzania fell 4-3 to Kuwait in a recent international friendly, highlighting both their attacking potential and defensive vulnerabilities.
Speaking ahead of the match, Taifa Stars head coach Miguel Gamondi expressed confidence in his squad’s preparedness while urging caution against underestimating their opponents.
“We have trained well both in Dar es Salaam and here in Kigali. The players are ready, and we are focused on getting a positive result,” said Gamondi. “We respect our opponents because they are also aiming for the same objective.” said Gamondi.
