The Zanzibar national football team represents Zanzibar in international football and is controlled by the Zanzibar Football Federation.
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Association | Zanzibar Football Federation | ||
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Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
Sub-confederation | CECAFA (Central & East Africa) | ||
Head coach | Hemed Suleiman | ||
Most caps | Suleiman Selembe (32) | ||
Top scorer | Abdallah Juma Ally (9) | ||
Home stadium | Amaan Stadium | ||
FIFA code | ZAN | ||
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First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika; 18 September 1947) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Unofficial![]() ![]() (Arbil, Iraq; 4 June 2012) Official ![]() ![]() (Mumias, Kenya; 29 November 2009) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Nairobi, Kenya; 4 October 1961) | |||
VIVA World Cup | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2012) | ||
Best result | Third Place, 2012 | ||
CECAFA Cup | |||
Appearances | 58 (first in 1947) | ||
Best result | Champions, 1995 |
Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup. The island is part of the nation of Tanzania, which holds FIFA recognition at the international level. Prior to the union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika in 1964, Zanzibar was a fully independent member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but never qualified for the African Nations Cup.
Zanzibar was a provisional member of the N.F.-Board. The team placed second in the 2006 FIFI Wild Cup tournament, losing 4–1 on penalties to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the final. For that tournament, they were coached by the German comedian Oliver Pocher.
Their U-20 team also played in the 2006 ELF Cup, finishing fourth of eight, winning one game (1–0 against Kyrgyzstan's national football team) and drawing twice (against Gagauzia and Greenland) before losing 5–0 to Northern Cyprus in the semifinal. They regularly play in the CECAFA Cup, which includes national teams from Central and East Africa, and in 1995 they became champions, winning the final match 1–0 against the host nation, Uganda.
In March 2017, Zanzibar were admitted to CAF, becoming its 55th member,[1] only for their membership to be rescinded four months later, with CAF president Ahmad Ahmad claiming the region should never have been admitted as it is not a sovereign nation.[2]
Zanzibar competed in the Gossage Cup from 1949 to 1967, when the competition was renamed to the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup:
Gossage Cup Record | ||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - |
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Third Place | 3rd | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
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Runners-Up | 2nd | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 15 |
1962 | Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
Total | Runners-Up | 20/37 | 41 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 37 | 141 |
East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup Record | ||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA |
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Third Place | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Total | Third Place | 5/5 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 41 |
CECAFA Cup Record | ||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA |
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Group Stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 6th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
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Group Stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
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Group Stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Fourth Place | 4th | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
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Group Stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Fourth Place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 7th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 6th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
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Group Stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
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Group Stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 10th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
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Did not enter | |||||||
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Group Stage | 10th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
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Group Stage | 7th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 7th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 9th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
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Quarter-Finals | 7th | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
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Quarter-Finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
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Quarter-Finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
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Third Place | 3rd | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 10th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
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Runners-Up | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
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Group Stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Total | 1 title | 36/40 | 124 | 29 | 32 | 63 | 100 | 184 |
In March 2017, Zanzibar were admitted to the Confederation of African Football, becoming eligible for the Africa Cup of Nations.[1] The invitation was rescinded in July when FIFA rules forbade two national teams from one country.[2]
Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
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African Cup of Nations | ||||||||
1957 – 1963 | Did not enter | |||||||
1965 – 2019 | Ineligible | |||||||
Minor Tournament Record | ||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA |
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Runners-Up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
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Fourth Place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
Total | Runners-up | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 15 | |
Most appearances
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Top goalscorers
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Zanzibar Football Association | |||||
National teams |
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League system |
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Domestic cups |
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Awards |
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Lists |
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National football teams of Africa (CAF) | |
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North Africa (UNAF) | |
West Africa (WAFU) | |
East Africa (CECAFA) | |
Central Africa (UNIFFAC) | |
Southern Africa (COSAFA) | |
Non-regional Members | |
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Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations | |
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International Competitions |
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Club Competitions |
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Current members |
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National Teams | |
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Non-FIFA and unaffiliated football teams competing internationally | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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N.F.-Board · Viva World Cup · FIFI Wild Cup · ELF Cup · KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup · ConIFA World Football Cup · ConIFA European Football Cup · Red Sport International · UEFA Regions' Cup · COSANFF | |||||||||||||||||||||||
ConiFA |
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Sovereign states |
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Non-sovereign |
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Island Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Languages |
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Viva World Cup teams | |
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* No longer N.F Board affiliated |
Confederation of Independent Football Associations members | |
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Africa | |
Americas | |
Asia | |
Europe |
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Oceania |