The Taifa Stars of Tanzania have officially kicked off preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a training camp in Egypt, marking a focused build-up ahead of the tournament in Morocco, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Under new Argentine coach Pablo Gamondi, the squad will use the camp to boost physical fitness, sharpen tactical plans, and strengthen team cohesion before flying to Morocco for the competition.
Tanzania aims to arrive in peak condition to tackle the challenges of Group A, which includes Nigeria, Tunisia, and regional rivals Uganda. Their campaign opens against Nigeria on December 23 in Fez, followed by matches against Uganda on December 27 and Tunisia on December 30. The Egyptian camp offers an opportunity to acclimatise to conditions similar to those in Morocco, ensuring the players are tournament-ready.
This preparation mirrors Nigeria’s approach, as the Super Eagles will also open a camp in Egypt starting December 10, including a friendly against Egypt on December 14 to adapt to North African conditions.
AFCON 2025 marks only Tanzania’s fourth appearance at the tournament, following participations in 1980, 2019, and 2023. After debuting in 1980, the nation waited 39 years for another AFCON opportunity. Despite limited success previously, including a group-stage exit in 2023, the team has shown steady progress, achieving its highest points total at the last tournament.
Gamondi, who replaced Hemed Suleiman, has selected a squad blending domestic talent and international experience. Captain and striker Mbwana Samatta of Ligue 1 side Le Havre will lead the attack, alongside veteran forward Simon Msuva (Al-Talaba SC, Iraq) and defender Haji Ali Mnoga (Salford City, EFL League Two). Mnoga, a former England U17 international, made his senior Tanzania debut in March 2022 and featured in all group-stage games at AFCON 2023.
The squad also includes several locally based players — Hussein Masalanga, Yakoub Suleiman, Yona Amosi, Zuberi Foba, Iddi Selemani, Ibrahim Abduallah, Dickson Job, Feisal Salum, Ahmed Pipino, and Abdul Suleiman — reflecting Gamondi’s focus on integrating homegrown talent into the national setup.
