TANZANIA: SIMBA Queens and Warriors Queens will be the country’s envoys in the CECAFA Zonal qualifiers for the CAF Women’s Champions League (CL) scheduled to kick off next month in Ethiopia.
According to CECAFA the qualifiers event that will take over two weeks is set for August 17th to September 4th in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, whereby Simba Queens from Tanzania Mainland and Warriors Queens from Zanzibar will battle for the tickets to feature in the CAF Women’s Champions League.
Warriors Queens, alongside newcomers Police Bullets FC from Kenya, Kawempe Muslim Ladies from Uganda, and Rayon Sport Women from Rwanda, will be making their tournament debuts.
The CECAFA Competitions Manager, Yusuf Mossi, shared his enthusiasm for the event, stating: “We expect a very competitive tournament, with both returning teams and new entrants. The standard of women’s football in the region continues to improve, as evidenced in this qualifier.”
Simba Queens and JKT Queens have both represented the zone in previous CAF Women’s Champions League tournaments.
Vihiga Queens from Kenya have also been a frequent competitor.
In the inaugural edition in Egypt in 2021, Vihiga managed only one victory and failed to progress past the group stage.
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In 2022, Simba Queens made a commendable run to the semifinals, ultimately losing 1-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns. JKT Queens faced challenges in the last tournament held in Ivory Coast, failing to advance after two losses and a narrow 2-1 victory against Athletico Football Club of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The competition will feature a total of nine teams: Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia), PVP Buyenzi (Burundi), FAD Djibouti (Djibouti), Police Bullets FC (Kenya), Rayon Sport Women (Rwanda), Yei Joint Stars (South Sudan), Simba Queens (Tanzania), Kawempe Muslim Ladies (Uganda), and Warriors Queens (Zanzibar).
With high stakes and fierce competition ahead, all eyes will be on Tanzania’s representatives as they aim for glory in this prestigious tournament.