All eyes in Tanzanian football are firmly fixed on Easter Sunday, April 5, as the highly anticipated Mzizima Derby takes centre stage at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, where Dar es Salaam giants Azam FC will face Simba SC in a thrilling encounter.
Azam, who will be the hosts, head into the match with high morale after securing a 2-1 victory over Singida Black Stars on April 1, 2026, showing strong form and determination ahead of the clash.
Simba are equally confident going into the fixture, having recorded a solid 2-0 win against Coastal Union on April 2, 2026, setting up what promises to be a fiercely contested derby.
After 16 matches this season, Azam sit in third place with 32 points, having won eight matches and drawn eight, maintaining an unbeaten run that highlights their consistency.
Simba, on the other hand, are placed second on the table with 34 points from 15 matches, registering 10 wins, four draws, and only one defeat so far in the campaign.
This encounter will mark the 36th meeting between the two sides in the Mainland Premier League since Azam FC earned promotion in July 2008.
In the previous 35 meetings, Simba have held the advantage with 15 victories, while Azam have managed seven wins, and 13 matches have ended in draws.
Historically, Simba have also been more prolific in front of goal in this fixture, scoring 48 goals compared to Azam’s 33 since their first meeting in the top flight.
Interestingly, this will be only the second time the two sides meet in April, with the first encounter on April 14, 2013, ending in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
That memorable match saw Kipre Tchetche and Humphrey Mieno score for Azam, while Ramadhan Singano netted twice for Simba in a dramatic contest.
The fixture has produced several high-scoring matches over the years, including Azam’s 3-2 victory in January 2011, where John Bocco scored twice and Mrisho Ngassa added another goal.
Simba have also enjoyed thrilling wins, including a 3-2 comeback victory featuring goals from Erasto Nyoni, Deo Kanda, and Meddie Kagere in another classic encounter.
Another notable clash was Simba’s 3-1 win in October 2012, highlighted by a brace from Emmanuel Okwi, underlining the attacking quality often seen in this derby.
Matches played on Sundays between the two sides have been evenly balanced, with each team winning three of their 11 Sunday encounters, while five matches have ended in draws.
Their most recent Sunday meeting in December 2025 saw Azam claim a 2-0 victory, with late goals from Jephte Kitambala and Idd Seleman sealing the win.
Heading into this clash, Simba will be eager to seek revenge after losing their last league meeting 2-0 to Azam, as well as suffering a 1-0 defeat in the 2026 Mapinduzi Cup semi-final, adding extra intensity to what is already one of Tanzania’s biggest football rivalries.
