The Tanzania national badminton team () represents Tanzania in international badminton team competitions. Tanzania is one of the first seven founding nations of the Badminton Confederation of Africa. In the 1990s Tanzanian players have made numerous achievements in the African stage, winning two bronze medals at the 1992 African Badminton Championships.
Since the 2000s, the team became inactive from international team tournaments due to insufficient funds which impacted Tanzanian badminton's decrease in popularity. Many regional badminton tournaments, such as the Nyerere Badminton Championships and the Dar Cup have been hosted to revive badminton in Tanzania. As of 2022, the national team along with its association is still inactive.
History Badminton in Tanzania began in the mid-20th century when the country was still under British rule. After the country gained independence from the British in 1961, the Tanganyika national badminton team was formed and soon competed in tournaments hosted around the country, such as the Tanganyika International. Players were later allowed to compete internationally after the establishment of the Tanzania Badminton Association in 1977.
In the 70s and the 80s, the Tanzanian national team was composed mostly of players of Indian descent like Raju Chiplunkar and Mukesh Shah, who have represented Tanzania in badminton at the Commonwealth Games. In the late 80s, players from Zanzibar who achieved decent results in the sport started to represent the national team. The most notable players from Zanzibar were Mohamed Juma, Nasra Juma and Mselem Juma who have medaled at African championships.
Men's team In early 1979, Tanzania sent its men's team to compete in the men's team event at the inaugural African Badminton Championships. The team finished in second place.Daily Graphic, 24 April 1979, p. 15 In June 1979, the team competed in the men's team event at the 1979 WBF World Championships. The team were placed in Group 4 with Thailand, Burma and Mauritius. The team lost 5–0 to Thailand and Burma. In their third playoff, the team lost 3–2 to Mauritius and were eliminated in the group stages.
The team also achieved gold on home soil at the 1984 African Badminton Championships. In 1988, the team finished as runners-up at the 1988 African Badminton Championships after losing 5–0 to Nigeria. In 1992, the team took part in qualifying for the 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup in Hong Kong. The team were drawn to Group C with Hong Kong, Australia and Sri Lanka. The team failed to qualify after losing 5–0 to all three teams in their group.
Women's team The Tanzanian women's team competed in the 1979 African Badminton Championships and won the women's team title. In 1984, the team won silver at the 1984 African Badminton Championships. In 1992, the team competed in the 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup regional qualifiers in Hong Kong alongside the men's team. The team lost all their matches to Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Philippines in their group tie.
Mixed team The Tanzanian mixed team competed in the 1984 African Badminton Championships and finished in second place.
Competitive record
Thomas Cup YearRound1949to1961Part of the 1964to1990Did not enter1992Did not qualify1994Did not enter1996199820002002200420062008201020122014201620182020202220242026To be determined20282030
Uber Cup YearRound1949to1961Part of the 1964to1990Did not enter1992Did not qualify1994Did not enter1996199820002002200420062008201020122014201620182020202220242026To be determined20282030
Sudirman Cup YearRound1989Did not enter199119931995199719992001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025To be determined20272029
WBF World Championships
Men's team YearRound1979Group stage
Women's team YearRound1979Did not enter
Commonwealth Games
Men's team YearRound1998Did not enter
Women's team YearRound1998Did not enter
Mixed team YearRound1978Did not enter19821986199019942002200620102014201820222026TBD
African Games Mixed team YearRound2003Did not enter20072011201520192027TBD
African Team Championships
Men's team YearRound1979Runners-up2nd1980Third place3rd1982Did not enter1984Champions1st1988Runners-up2nd2016Did not enter20182020202220242026To be determined20282030
Women's team YearRound1979Champions1st1980Third place3rd1982Did not enter1984Runners-up2nd1988Runners-up2nd2016Did not enter20182020202220242026To be determined20282030
Mixed team YearRound1980Third place3rd1982Did not enter1984Runners-up2nd1988Runners-up2nd1992Semi-finals4th1994Did not enter199820002002200420062007200920112013201420172019202120232025To be determined20272029
**Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.
Junior competitive record Suhandinata Cup
YearRound2000Did not enter2002200420062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202220232024
Commonwealth Youth Games
Mixed team YearRound2004Did not enter African Youth Games
Men's team YearRound2018Did not enter
Women's team YearRound2018Did not enter
Mixed team YearRound2014Did not enter
African Junior Team Championships
Mixed team YearRound1979Runners-up2nd1980Fourth place4th1982Did not enter1984Runners-up2nd1988Runners-up2nd1993Fourth place4th1995Did not enter1997199920012003200520072009201120132016202120222024TBD **Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.
Players
Current squad
Men's team NameDoB/AgeRanking of eventMSMDXDHaji Hassanali Mawoko – – –Atish Shah – – –Sammer Champsi – – –
Women's team NameDoB/AgeRanking of eventWSWDXDAbida Hassanali – – –Nazneen Rahim – – –Nazneen Abbas – – –
References