Tanzania requests Drogba to serve as its special envoy heading to 2027 AFCON

DODOMA: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has requested former Ivory Coast national team striker and Chelsea Football Club star Didier Drogba to serve as Tanzania’s Ambassador ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.

President Samia made the request on May 5, 2026, during discussions with Drogba shortly after his arrival at the Chamwino State House in Dodoma.

She also directed the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports to collaborate with the football legend in sharing expertise on the management and development of sports academies in Tanzania, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s sports sector.

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For his part, Drogba expressed gratitude to President Samia for the invitation and showed readiness to work with the Tanzanian government in various areas of sports development.

Drogba, widely regarded as one of the most successful footballers in the world, is also credited with playing a role in peace efforts in Ivory Coast in 2005, where he used his influence to help bring an end to years of civil conflict.