Dar es Salaam. Simba SC and Young Africans are set to open the 2025-2026 Tanzanian football season by facing off in the highly anticipated Kariakoo Derby on September 16.
The match, which will be contested for the Tanzania Community Shield, is scheduled to take place at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
This showdown comes just a few months after the two sides met in the closing fixture of the Premier League season, where Yanga triumphed 2-0, securing their fourth consecutive league title.
The Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has confirmed the date for the Community Shield, noting that this season’s format differs from the previous two years, which involved four clubs finishing in the top four positions of the Premier League.
Last season, Yanga claimed the Shield by defeating Azam FC 4-1, having already eliminated Simba in the semi-final with a 1-0 victory, while their opponents triumphed over Coastal Union in a match played in Zanzibar.
According to a statement released on August 20, 2025 by TFF Communications Officer, Clifford Ndimbo, the tournament format has been revised following regulations approved by the TFF Executive Committee.
Previously, the Community Shield involved the top four teams in a mini-tournament format, starting with semi-finals and concluding with a final.
However, adjustments were made to accommodate a congested calendar due to CAF competitions.
“The Community Shield match to launch the new Tanzanian football season between Young Africans and Simba will be played on September 16, 2025, in Dar es Salaam,” the statement read, adding:
“The format of the Community Shield has been changed following regulatory amendments approved at the recent TFF Executive Committee meeting.”
One of the key adjustments allows for the Shield to be contested in a single match instead of the previous three-game format, particularly in seasons where continental competitions, such as the CAF tournaments, compress the domestic schedule.
Tanzania is hosting the CHAN finals, which began on August 2 and will conclude on August 30 this year. Additionally, at the beginning of September, the national team (Taifa Stars) will play two World Cup qualifying matches.
After the Community Shield, Tanzanian clubs will participate in the preliminary rounds of CAF competitions.
