Defending champions Yanga currently lead the standings with 60 points, while Simba are closely behind with 58 points
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian football powerhouses Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba have already secured places in next season’s Caf interclub competitions, but the battle to determine which clubs will feature in the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup remains far from settled.
With only five matches remaining before the conclusion of the Mainland Tanzania Premier League season, the race for continental football qualification has entered a decisive stage, with several clubs still mathematically in contention.
Defending champions Yanga currently lead the standings with 60 points, while Simba are closely behind with 58 points.
Azam FC occupy third place with 52 points and continue to maintain hopes of securing a return to continental football next season.
Although Yanga are top of the table, their qualification for the Caf Champions League is not yet mathematically guaranteed. If the Jangwani Street side win all their remaining matches, they will finish the season with 75 points.
Simba can still accumulate a maximum of 73 points should they register victories in all their remaining fixtures, while Azam FC can reach 67 points if they maintain a perfect run until the end of the season.
The calculations mean Yanga require at least eight more points to officially confirm a place in the Caf Champions League, while Simba need 10 points to ensure qualification for Africa’s elite club competition.
Azam, meanwhile, are only five points away from officially securing a place in next season’s Caf competitions. However, the Chamazi-based side still face a difficult task in their pursuit of a Champions League slot because they remain behind the traditional rivals.
The top two teams in the Mainland Premier League qualify for the Caf Champions League, while the winner of the CRDB Federation Cup and the third-placed league finisher earn tickets to the Caf Confederation Cup.
This season’s Federation Cup competition has added further excitement to the continental qualification race, especially after Yanga, Simba, Coastal Union and Azam FC all progressed to the semifinals.
Yanga are scheduled to face Azam FC at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza on June 21 in what is expected to be a high-profile encounter between two title contenders. On the other hand, Simba will battle Coastal Union F.C. at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha on June 20.
The Federation Cup route means there is a possibility for Yanga, Simba and Azam FC to all represent Tanzania in Caf competitions next season if league standings and knockout results fall in their favour.
Coastal Union also remain in the race for continental football despite their inconsistent league campaign.
The Tanga-based side can still book a place in the Caf Confederation Cup if they go on to win the Federation Cup title.
Meanwhile, Singida Black Stars still have an outside chance of qualifying for continental football through the league standings.
If Singida Black Stars win all their remaining matches, they can finish the campaign with 56 points, a tally that cannot be reached by JKT Tanzania or TRA United even if the two clubs win all their remaining fixtures.
JKT Tanzania can only finish with a maximum of 53 points, while TRA United can reach 52 points.
