WAFCON 2024 / Bakari Shime (Tanzania): 'I'm inspired by all the women coaches'

CAF

a day ago

Fifteen years since their last appearance, Tanzania returns to the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations with a youth-focused project built on long-term development.
At the helm of the Twiga Stars, Bakari Shime is banking on the legacy of the U17s and a generation nurtured in-house since 2019.
Inspired by female coaches across the continent, he has his sights set on the 2027 Women's World Cup
In the quiet corridors of the Tanzanian Football Federation, Bakari Shime made a bold move: to rebuild a women's national team that had been off the radar for over a decade. Fifteen years after Tanzania's last participation in the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations, the coach is back with a transformed team, a well-thought-out project, and a clear goal to place his country back at the heart of African women's football.
Behind the qualification lies a plan structured, deliberate, and launched in 2019. It focuses on youth: from U17s to the senior side, each age group has acted as a steppingstone to the next.
Tanzania have been drawn in a tough group featuring reigning champions, South Africa, Ghana and Mali three giants with rich histories.
In the face of such competition, Bakari Shime avoids nervous narratives. He prefers to speak of learning, determination, and legacy. Above all, he proudly credits female coaching figures across Africa for shaping the future of the game. His focus is firmly on what lies ahead for his team, and for a whole new generation.
In this exclusive interview with CAFOnline.com, the Tanzanian tactician reflects on his inspirations and ambitions ahead of the Morocco finals set for 5 – 26 July.
CAFOnline.com: Tanzania is in Group C with South Africa, Ghana, and Mali. What are your thoughts?
Bakari Shime: For me, it's going to be a very, very tough group. We're up against strong opponents particularly Mali, who've featured in several editions of the Women's AFCON, and of course South Africa, the reigning champions. I'm expecting a highly competitive group.
With just weeks to go until kick-off, how is your team feeling?
Mentally, we're in a good place heading into the tournament. We recently played two matches against DR Congo, winning 2–1 and 3–1. That gave us a strong boost. The players are ready, and the whole of Tanzania is behind us as we approach this WAFCON.
Fifteen years after your last appearance, Tanzania is making a big return to the TotalEnergies CAF Women's AFCON. What made this comeback possible?
Our last appearance was in 2010, in South Africa. It's been 15 years. Since then, we've completely reshaped women's football in Tanzania to revive the national team, the Twiga Stars.
We launched a special programme to develop women's football, starting with the youth. We first structured our U17s, which allowed us to qualify for the U17 World Cup.
That was our roadmap to rebuilding the Twiga Stars. And in recent years, you've seen the results we've beaten teams like Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, and most recently Equatorial Guinea. It shows how far Tanzanian women's football has come.
A recent highlight has been the Women's Futsal team qualifying for the World Cup. What does that mean to you?
I'm very proud of that achievement. But it's important to note that futsal isn't yet a fully developed discipline in our country. Most of the futsal players come from 11-a-side football. The coach did a fantastic job adapting them to futsal in a short time, and they played excellently during the tournament.
In a way, this qualification also reflects the progress made in 11-a-side football because that's where these players were developed.
You've worked extensively with youth teams, especially the U17s. How did you bridge the gap between youth and senior levels?
It all began with the U17s they were the cornerstone of our rebuilding strategy. We've worked very hard with the U17s, U20s, and the senior team. We created a proper development path: U17s move into the U20s, and from there into the senior squad.
This programme, launched in 2019, allowed us to lay strong foundations. Today, we're competing in this WAFCON thanks to that work with our youth teams.
Has there been a coach or football figure who has particularly inspired you on this journey?
Honestly, I'm inspired by all the female coaches, especially in Africa. If you want to grow in women's football, you need to learn from others. I do my best to observe what top African women coaches are doing in South Africa, Morocco, and beyond. So, for me, they are my inspiration.
What's your dream or major ambition with this women's national team?
Our ambition is to qualify for the World Cup. This 2024 AFCON is a key step to gain experience and prepare for that goal. If we can beat Ethiopia in the qualifiers, we can continue our journey. So, our target is to learn from the top teams but above all, to beat Ethiopia and take a big step towards qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup. That's where our dream lies.
And finally, what message would you like to send to supporters ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's AFCON?
The Women's AFCON is a hugely important tournament for women's football in Africa. I want to encourage everyone to pay attention to the women's game it needs broad support.
To Tanzanians especially, I ask them to get behind their national team so we can give our very best during this tournament.