The Tanzania Mainland Premier League () is a top-level Tanzanian professional football league, governed by the TPLB.
History The league was first organized in Dar es Salaam in 1921 and by 1929 had six participants. In the 1930s, the league included street teams such as Arab Sports (Kariakoo) and New Strong Team (Kisutu), which primarily consisted of Arab and African players. The Sudanese community had a team that joined the league in 1941 although by the mid-1940s the team had split up. Other teams in the league's early history included the Khalsas, an exclusively Sikh team, and the Ilala Staff, a team of Ilalan residents.
In 1942, clubs from public institutions such as the Government School, Post Office, Railways SC, King's African Rifles SC, Police SC, and the Medical Department started to dominate the league. However, most teams disbanded in the aftermath of World War II, with many European players ceasing their participation in the league and their clubs. This included Gymkhana Club, Police Club, King's African Rifles, and Railways, who eventually withdrew from the league. Starting in the 1940s, they were replaced by African street teams such as Young Africans (Yanga) and Sunderland (known as Old Boys in 1942 and later renamed Simba in 1971), as well as the Goan's Club manned by Goans, and the Agha Khan Club by Ismaili Khojas.
From this period onwards, Yanga and Sunderland gradually became the most prominent clubs in Dar es Salaam. Yanga, founded in 1935, entered the first division and won four major cups in 1942. Sunderland joined the first division soon after Yanga and won four major trophies in 1946.
By 1955, the Dar es Salaam League had 38 registered clubs. It became the "National League" by 1965, incorporating most of the major teams in Tanzania. The name was later changed to the "First Division Soccer League" and later to the "Premier League" in 1997. Tanzania Breweries became the sponsor of the championship, after which the league was called the Tanzania Breweries League (TBL). The contract with Breweries was terminated in 2001 after a conflict with the Tanzania Football Association. In 2002, a contract was signed with the telecommunication company Vodacom, which lasted until 2009, after which they were renewed the same year.
Competition format
Competition The Tanzanian Premier League (TPL) follows a typical double round-robin format with each team playing the other twice, home and away. Each win earns three points, a draw earns a point for both teams, and a loss earns zero points.
Promotion & Relegation The bottom two-placed teams are automatically demoted to the Championship and are replaced by the winners and runners-up from the championship. The third and fourth worst-ranked teams enter a play-off with the 3rd and 4th placed teams from the First Division.
International Competitions Confederation of African Football (CAF) teams based in Tanzania compete in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
Recent positive performances by TPL clubs in continental competitions have seen Tanzania rise in the CAF 5-year ranking. As a result, more teams from the league have had the opportunity to compete on the continental stage.
CAF Champions League The league champion qualifies for the CAF Champions League for the following season.
Starting in the 2021–22 season, the second-placed team from the previous season also qualifies for the CAF CL.
CAF Confederation Cup Since the 2015–16 season, the winner of the Tanzania FA Cup has qualified for the CAF Confederations Cup. This qualification place had previously been awarded only to the runner-up in the Premier League.
From the 2021–22 season onwards, the champions of the FA Cup and the third-placed team in the Premier League have also qualified for the tournament.
Club ranking for the CAF club season
Club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season
The club ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2019–20 to the 2023–24 seasons.
Rank Club 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 Total1 Al Ahly665662 Espérance de Tunis343453 Wydad446524 Mamelodi Sundowns333445 Zamalek522256 RS Berkane515047 Simba032338 Petro de Luanda214239 TP Mazembe3230.5410 CR Belouizdad0333211 USM Alger1005312 Raja CA4533013 Young Africans S.C.0004314 ASEC Mimosas0013315 Pyramids43221
Club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The club ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from the 2020–21 to the 2024–25 seasons.
Rank Club 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total1 Al Ahly656642 Mamelodi Sundowns334453 Espérance de Tunis434534 RS Berkane150455 Simba323346 Pyramids322167 Zamalek222528 Wydad AC465209 USM Alger0053210 CR Belouizdad3332211 Al-Hilal1222312 Young Africans0043213 ASEC Mimosas0133214 TP Mazembe230.54115 Orlando Pirates24004
Qualification for CAF competitions Association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is based on results from each CAF club competition from 2019–20 to the 2023–24 season.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2023–24 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 Total 2024 2023 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC 12 +1116837482.57721 -1884695822433 —316571652344 —30.582544341.555 —604351426166 —0030.502346077 —414003124088 —4010502031.599 —20303030201011 +10200.50500.5031113 +200.5000103301212 —0302000202
Association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF club season The association ranking for the 2025–26 CAF Champions League and the 2025–26 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2020–21 to the 2024–25 season.
Legend CL: CAF Champions League CC: CAF Confederation Cup ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2024–25 CAF club competitions
Rank Association 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 Total 2025 2024 Mvt CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC11 —837482.57710422 —469582245534 +182544341.59343 -1657165235556 +130.50234602465 -14351426130.578 +110502031.52287 -1400312402099 —30303020301011 +100010330121110 -100.50500.503001212 —0200020201
Clubs Starting from the 2018–19 season, the league was composed of 20 teams, which was further lowered to 18 in 2020 and then 16 in 2021.
2023–24 season clubs
Champions
Wins by year Previous champions are:
Years Champions1965Sunderland19661967Cosmopolitans (1)1968Young Africans 19691970197119721973Simba 1974Young Africans 1975Mseto Sports (1)1976Simba19771978197919801981Young Africans1982Pan African (1) 1983Young Africans1984KMKM FC (1)1985Tukuyu Stars(1) 19861987Young Africans1988African Sports (1) 1989Malindi1990Pamba (1)1991Young Africans1992Malindi (2)1993Simba199419951996Young Africans19971998Maji Maji (3) 1999Prisons (1)2000Young Africans2001Simba20022003Not awarded2004Simba 2005Young Africans20062007Simba 2007–08Young Africans2008–092009–10Simba2010–11Young Africans2011–12Simba 2012–13Young Africans2013–14Azam (1) 2014–15Young Africans2015–162016–172017–18 Simba 2018–192019–202020–212021–22Young Africans (27)2022–232023–242024–252025–26
Titles by team Club Wins Young Africans 27 Simba (includes Sunderland) 21 Maji Maji 3 Malindi 2 African Sports 1 Pan African 1 Azam 1 Cosmopolitans 1 Mseto Sports 1 Pamba 1 KMKM 1
Top goalscorers SeasonNat.Best scorersTeamGoals 1997 Mohamed Hussein "Mmachinga" Young Africans26 2004 Abubakar Ally Mkangwa Mtibwa Sugar 2005 Abdallah Juma 25 2006 n/a n/a 2007 Mashiku SC United 17 2007–08 Michael Katende Kagera Sugar 2008–09 Boniface Ambani Young Africans 18 2009–10 Musa Hassan Mgosi Simba 18 2010–11 Mrisho Ngasa Azam 18 2011–12 John Raphael Bocco 192012–13 Kipre Tchetche 172013–14 Amissi Tambwe Simba 192014–15 Simon Msuva Young Africans 172014–15 Abdulrahman Mussa Ruvu Shooting 172015–16 Amissi Tambwe Young Africans 212016–17 Simon Msuva 142017–18 Emmanuel Okwi Simba 202018–19 Meddie Kagere 232019–20 Meddie Kagere 222020–21 John Bocco 162021–22George MpoleGeita Gold172022–23 Fiston MayeleYoung Africans17 Saidi Ntibazonkiza Simba2023–24Stephane Aziz KiYoung Africans212024–25Jean Charles AhouaSimba16
All-time goalscorers RankPlayerGoalsYears 1 John Bocco1552008–20252 Emmanuel Okwi972009–2019
Assists SeasonNat.PlayerTeamAssists2021–22Pape SakhoSimba62022–23Clatous Chama142023–24Kipre JuniorAzam92024–25Feisal Salum13
Clean sheets SeasonNat.GoalskeeperTeamClean sheets2022–23Djigui DiarraYanga142023–24Ley MatampiCoastal Union152024–25Moussa CamaraSimba19
TFF Awards
References
External links tff.or.tz; League website at association's website Page at fifa.com; League standings & results RSSSF competition history