By A Special Correspondent
Charles M’Mombwa has quickly established himself as one of Tanzania’s most exciting football talents.
Born 27-years-ago in DR Congo and raised in Tanzania, the dynamic midfielder has developed into a key figure for the Taifa Stars, blending energy, tactical intelligence, and composure on the ball.
His club career has taken him from the youth setups in Tanzania to Australia’s A-League with Macarthur FC, where he impressed with his vision and box-to-box dynamism, before moving to Europe.
Looking ahead to TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025, M’Mombwa shared his excitement with CAFOnline for the tournament and the privilege of representing his country.
“Yeah, I think the tournament is going to be good. You know, when the African Cup of Nations comes around, it’s always an exciting time for every nation in Africa. And us as Taifa Stars, we are very excited to be able to be participating in another once again. So, yeah, I think it’s going to be another great tournament,” said M’Mombwa.
“The preparations are going good. I can say we’ve already started our preparations. We’ve been preparing even throughout the World Cup qualifications. And I think we’ve been able to work together as a team and we are coming together very well. I think we’re going to be, you know, a surprise, another surprise nation in this AFCON coming up,” M’Mombwa added.
Reflecting on the personal significance of national team call-ups, he explained: “Yeah, it’s always a great privilege, first of all, to be called into your national team. Every time I get called to the Taifa Stars it’s always a special thing for myself and my family. So it’s very important. It’s very important for us players to be able to represent our country, you know, in front of the world. So, yeah, I’m always grateful and very excited for the next one.”
With his growth evident at both club and international levels, M’Mombwa is expected to play a pivotal role in Tanzania’s AFCON campaign.
The East African nation has been drawn in an interesting Group C consisting of African powerhouse Nigeria, former champions Tunisia as well as neighbours, Uganda.
They will open their TotalEnergies CAF AFCON campaign with a crucial clash against Nigeria on December 23rd in Fes.
The Taifa Stars have appeared three times in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) – in 1980, 2019, and 2023 – marking a long journey of persistence and gradual progress in African football.
Tanzania made their AFCON debut in 1980, drawn against hosts Nigeria, Egypt, and Ivory Coast. They exited in the group stage after one draw and two losses, but their participation was a proud milestone for the nation’s football history.
After nearly four decades away, Tanzania returned to the continental stage under coach Emmanuel Amunike. Despite losing all three matches in a tough group featuring Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya, the qualification itself marked a major comeback and renewed investment in the sport.
The Taifa Stars qualified again for AFCON 2023 (played in 2024), their second appearance in four years – showing consistency. They faced strong teams in Morocco, DR Congo, and Zambia, managing a 1–1 draw with Zambia but again falling short of the knockout stage.
In recent years, Tanzania has made steady progress thanks to a stronger domestic league, overseas exposure for players like Mbwana Samatta and Simon Msuva, and improved football structures under the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF). While the Taifa Stars have yet to advance beyond the group stage, their regular qualifications signal growing competitiveness and ambition to become a consistent presence in African football.
