Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) president Karia Wallace is humbled that East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda) are getting closer to hosting the prestigious TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) come 2027. This followed a successful hosting of CHAN 2025.
During, a detailed interview with Kawowo Sports’ David Isabirye at the Gymkhana sports complex in Dar-es-salaam city, Wallace also opens up about the domestic KBC Tanzania Premier League, regional football development in CECAFA region and its challenges.
For starters, Wallace has been president of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) since 2017, when he succeeded Jamal Malinzi.
He is also an Executive Committee Member of Confederation of African Football (CAF), a member of the CAF Finance Committee and the Vice President of FIFA Beach Soccer Committee.
How are you generally? The preparations for the 2027 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are in high gear. How is Tanzania’s readiness thus far?
Karia Wallace: Everything is in place going well. All the responsible ministries and finance department are working around the clock. We are now fronting the PAMOJA Visa with the ministry and immigrations docket working on it in coordination with the other co-hosts Uganda and Kenya. The PAMOJA Visa will be like the Schengen VISA for the European Union. The AFCON 2027 tournament is a legacy. One of them will be the PAMOJA Visa to help residents of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania move freely even after the tournament is completed. There is also a legacy for infrastructure which will be used after the tournament. There is also another arrangement for the goods and equipment movement. Tanzania Tourism Board is also working in close collaboration with CAF to showcase the potentiality of Tanzania’s tourism attractions inside the stadium advertisement banners, outside and everywhere. This also applies to Uganda and Kenya.
About the sporting facilities; we see a number of renovated ones and the new ones put in place. How is the progress?
Karia Wallace: The old facilities as the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium has undergone a major overhaul with renovations to meet the international standards expected. We have also put up new facilities in Arusha and Zanzibar. Dodoma is not ready but shall be ready for the future tournaments. There are also road constructions with new tarmac, hotels and other renovations.
As a former leader of CECAFA zone you have virtually seen it all through the ups and downs. Is the region playing catch up with the rest of the continent?
Karia Wallace: For a long time, we have had CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup (for national teams) and the CECAFA Kagame Cup (for clubs). These have been our two prime competitions. Now, we have youth, clubs and women competitions. Therefore, this is development in a way. We have also faced several challenges which are being tackled steadily; one by one. Now, with the facilities available, we can also have two tournaments happening at the same time, unlike the current trend where we are having one tournament end and move to another. Next month, we have the CECAFA U-17 tournament in Rwanda. This could have happened concurrently with the U-15, per say.
The National Bank of Commerce (NBC) Tanzania Premier League is now vibrant. How has the transition been?
Karia Wallace: The NBC Tanzania Premier League is the first league in Africa and the world to use the Football Video Support (FVS). We have been able to televise all the 240 matches live throughout the season. This is a score because it markets the league and records are requested to be used. We finished three rounds at the same time on a record time. The NBC Tanzania Premier League has also accommodated more foreign players. This has exposed many of our local players. When we play Nigeria, for instance
We also charge foreign players 3000 USD each which we use for development of operations for our technical centers especially the youth teams and women.
National Bank of Commerce (NBC) is the proud sponsor for the Tanzania Premier League for Tshs 32.6 billion (at least Ug.Shs 48 billion).
NBC has also procured us a brand new bus worth Tshs. 500, 000,000 (at least Ug.Shs 736,869,177)for the senior national team (Taifa Stars) which is our fourth bus plus many other coasters and fleet of cars that operate within our technical centers.
NBC also sponsors the championship and national youth leagues.
How is TFF’s relationship with CAF and FIFA?
Karia Wallace: The relationship of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is top notch and excellent. I am an Executive Committee Member of Confederation of African Football (CAF), a member of the CAF Finance Committee and the Vice President of FIFA Beach Soccer Committee. We enjoy a healthy relationship. You can also tell how many times the CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and the FIFA President Gianni Infantino have visited us here in Tanzania. It is work in progress and never politics.
Any further comments?
Karisa Wallace: We are humbled for the coordinal cooperation of all the partners. The Governments of East African countries; Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, the sponsors, CECAFA, CAF and FIFA have also done well. We look forward a historic AFCON tournament in East Africa for the very first time.
