The Tanzania Mainland Premier League (Swahili: Ligi Kuu Tanzania Bara) is a top-level Tanzanian professional football league, governed by the Tanzania Football Federation.
 | |
| Founded |
|
|---|---|
| Country |  Tanzania |
| Confederation | Confederation of African Football |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Championship |
| Domestic cup(s) | |
| International cup(s) | |
| Current champions | Young Africans (2023–24) |
| Most championships | Young Africans S.C (30 titles) |
| Top goalscorer | John Bocco (155 goals) |
| TV partners | Azam TV (live matches and highlights) |
| Website | ligikuu.co.tz |
| Current: 2024–25 Tanzanian Premier League | |
History
editThe league was first organized in Dar es Salaam in 1921[2] and by 1929 had six participants. In the 1930s, the league included street teams such as Arab Sports (Kariakoo) and New Strong Team (Kisutu), which primarily consisted of Arab and African players. The Sudanese community had a team that joined the league in 1941 although by the mid-1940s the team had split up. Other teams in the league's early history included the Khalsas, an exclusively Sikh team, and the Ilala Staff, a team of Ilalan residents.
In 1942, clubs from public institutions such as the Government School, Post Office, Railways SC, King's African Rifles SC, Police SC, and the Medical Department started to dominate the league. However, most teams disbanded in the aftermath of World War II, with many European players ceasing their participation in the league and their clubs. This included Gymkhana Club, Police Club, King's African Rifles, and Railways, who eventually withdrew from the league. Starting in the 1940s, they were replaced by African street teams such as Young Africans (Yanga) and Sunderland (known as Old Boys in 1942 and later renamed Simba in 1971), as well as the Goan's Club manned by Goans, and the Agha Khan Club by Ismaili Khojas.
From this period onwards, Yanga and Sunderland gradually became the most prominent clubs in Dar es Salaam. Yanga, founded in 1935, entered the first division and won four major cups in 1942. Sunderland joined the first division soon after Yanga and won four major trophies in 1946.
By 1955, the Dar es Salaam League had 38 registered clubs. It became the "National League" by 1965, incorporating most of the major teams in Tanzania. The name was later changed to the "First Division Soccer League" and later to the "Premier League" in 1997. Tanzania Breweries became the sponsor of the championship, after which the league was called the Tanzania Breweries League (TBL). The contract with Breweries was terminated in 2001 after a conflict with the Tanzania Football Association. In 2002, a contract was signed with the telecommunication company Vodacom, which lasted until 2009, after which they were renewed the same year.
Competition format
edit
Competition
editThe Tanzanian Premier League (TPL) follows a typical double round-robin format with each team playing the other twice, home and away. Each win earns three points, a draw earns a point for both teams, and a loss earns zero points.
Promotion & Relegation
editThe bottom two-placed teams are automatically demoted to the Championship and are replaced by the winners and runners-up from the championship. The third and fourth worst-ranked teams enter a play-off with the 3rd and 4th placed teams from the First Division.[3]
International Competitions
editConfederation of African Football (CAF) teams based in Tanzania compete in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Recent positive performances by TPL clubs in continental competitions have seen Tanzania rise in the CAF 5-year ranking. As a result, more teams from the league have had the opportunity to compete on the continental stage.
CAF Champions League
editThe league champion qualifies for the CAF Champions League for the following season.
Starting in the 2021-22 season, the second-placed team from the previous season also qualifies for the CAF CL.
CAF Confederation Cup
editSince the 2015–16 season, the winner of the Tanzania FA Cup has qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. This qualification place had previously been awarded only to the runner-up in the Premier League.
From the 2021-22 season onwards, the champions of the FA Cup and the third-placed team in the Premier League have also qualified for the tournament.
Clubs
editStarting from the 2018–19 season, the league was composed of 20 teams, which was further lowered to 18 in 2020 and then 16 in 2021.
2023-2024 season clubs
edit
Champions
editWins by year
editPrevious champions are:[4]
| Club | Wins[5] |
|---|---|
| Young Africans | 30 |
| Simba (includes Sunderland) | 22 |
| Maji Maji | 3 |
| Malindi | 2 |
| Prisons | 1 |
| Pan African | 1 |
| Azam | 1 |
| Cosmopolitans | 1 |
| Mseto Sports | 1 |
| Coastal Union | 1 |
| Pamba | 1 |
| KMKM | 1 |
Top goalscorers
edit| Season | Nat. | Best scorers | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | |
Mohamed Hussein "Mmachinga" | Young Africans | 26 |
| 2004 | |
Abubakar Ally Mkangwa | Mtibwa Sugar | |
| 2005 | |
Abdallah Juma | Mtibwa Sugar | 25 |
| 2006 | n/a | n/a | ||
| 2007 | |
Mashiku | SC United ] | 17 |
| 2007–08 | |
Michael Katende | Kagera Sugar | |
| 2008–09 |  |
Boniface Ambani | Young Africans | 18 |
| 2009–10 | |
Musa Hassan Mgosi | Simba | 18 |
| 2010–11 | |
Mrisho Ngasa | Azam | 18 |
| 2011–12 | |
John Raphael Bocco | Azam | 19 |
| 2012–13 |  |
Kipre Tchetche | Azam | 17 |
| 2013–14 |  |
Amissi Tambwe | Simba | 19 |
| 2014–15 | |
Simon Msuva | Young Africans | 17 |
| 2014–15 | |
Abdulrahman Mussa | Ruvu Shooting | 17 |
| 2015–16 | |
Amissi Tambwe | Young Africans | 21 |
| 2016–17 | |
Simon Msuva | Young Africans | 14 |
| 2017–18 |  |
Emmanuel Okwi | Simba | 20 |
| 2018–19 |  |
Meddie Kagere | Simba | 23 |
| 2019–20 | |
Meddie Kagere | Simba | 22 |
| 2020–21 | |
John Bocco | Simba | 16[6] |
| 2021–22 | |
George Mpole | Geita Gold | 17[7] |
|
Fiston Kalala Mayele | Young Africans | ||
| 2022–23 | |
Fiston Kalala Mayele | Young Africans | 17[8] |
| |
Saidi Ntibazonkiza | Simba | ||
| 2023-24 |  |
Stephane Aziz Ki | Young Africans | 21 |
All-time goalscorers
edit| Rank | Player | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Bocco |
155 | 2008 |
| 2 | Emmanuel Okwi |
97 | 2009-2019 |
Assists
edit| Season | Nat. | Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 |  |
Pape Sakho | Simba | 6 |
| 2022-23 |  |
Clatous Chama | Simba | 14 |
| 2023-24 | |
Kipre Junior | Azam | 9 |
Clean sheets
edit| Season | Nat. | Goalskeeper | Team | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 |  |
Djigui Diarra | Yanga | 14 |
| 2023-24 | |
Ley Matampi | Coastal Union | 15 |
References
edit- ^ "Tanzania – List of champions". RSSSF.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Football, in Tanzania (18 November 2008). "POPULAR MUSIC, SPORTS, AND POLITICS: A DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN CULTURAL MOVEMENTS IN DAR ES SALAAM, the 1930s-1960s" (PDF). TSURUTA, Tadasu. POPULAR MUSIC, SPORTS, AND POLITICS: A DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN CULTURAL MOVEMENTS IN DAR ES SALAAM, the 1930s–1960s. African Study Monographs 2003, 24(3): 195–222. 24 (3): 206. doi:10.14989/68221. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- ^ "About the Premier League". Tanzania Football Federation. 26 February 2010. Archived from the original on 28 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Tanzania – List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Tanzania - List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ "Table of top scorers Tanzania Premier League 2021". www.besoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Table of top scorers Tanzania Premier League 2022". www.besoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
- ^ "Wafungaji bora NBC Premier League 2022/2023 Top Scorers". https://wasomiajira.com/. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
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External links
edit- tff.or.tz; League website at association's website
- Page at fifa.com; League standings & results
- RSSSF competition history