Dar es Salaam. The build-up to the highly anticipated Kariakoo Derby between Young Africans SC and Simba SC has taken a dramatic turn following an official statement from Yanga declaring their intent to boycott the match unless key demands are met by football authorities.
Earlier today, June 9, the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) confirmed having held a special consultative meeting with Yanga’s top leadership to address contentious issues surrounding Match No. 184 of the NBC Premier League the encounter between Yanga and Simba, scheduled for June 15, 2025.
TPLB CEO Almas Kasongo revealed that Yanga presented a list of serious grievances during the meeting.
These included calls for the dissolution of the League Management Committee, the resignation of the TPLB CEO himself, the resignation of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Secretary General Wilfred Kidao, and a demand for the TPLB to become a fully independent institution.
Kasongo described the meeting as constructive and emphasized that TPLB, being a club-owned institution, considers such engagements essential.
He stated that while the concerns had been formally received and acknowledged, not all fall under the direct jurisdiction of the board, and thus would require further processing and consultation with relevant bodies.
Despite the weight of Yanga’s demands, Kasongo insisted that the match schedule remains unchanged, reiterating that the derby will be played on June 15 unless instructed otherwise by competent authorities.
However, shortly after Kasongo’s address, Yanga released an official public statement intensifying the standoff.
In the statement, signed by the club’s Executive Committee and shared on their official platforms, the club confirmed attending the early morning meeting at TPLB offices located at NSSF Mafao House in Dar es Salaam.
Yanga disclosed that after several hours of discussion, their leadership clearly communicated their position, the club will not take part in the June 15 derby unless their demands, which were formally submitted in writing, are addressed and resolved.
The statement read in part: “Our club leadership submitted a firm position that we shall not participate in Match No 184 scheduled for June 15, 2025, unless our demands, which have been formally submitted in writing, are satisfactorily resolved.”
Yanga further wished the TPLB and TFF well as they work toward resolving the issues, emphasizing that their demands are driven by a vision for long-term integrity, transparency, and progress in Tanzanian football.
This development introduces significant uncertainty to one of the biggest fixtures in East African football.
The Kariakoo Derby not only attracts massive fanfare and national attention but also holds implications for the league title race and sponsorship deals.
As it stands, the football community now awaits an official response from the Tanzania Football Federation and other governing bodies to determine whether a resolution will be reached in time to salvage the fixture.
For now, all eyes remain on the power corridors of Tanzanian football, as administrative wrangles threaten to overshadow the beautiful game.
