From Rochdale to Rabat: The Lancashire Duo Leading Tanzania's AFCON Bid
Tarryn Allarakhia of Rochdale and Haji Mnoga of Salford City, both playing for Tanzania's national football team, are at the forefront of the Taifa Stars' campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. The pair, who became friends after opposing each other in a 2023 National League match between Wealdstone and Aldershot, are now teammates representing Tanzania at AFCON.
Tanzania has qualified for AFCON four times but has yet to win a match. In the recent 2023 tournament in Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania drew with Zambia and DR Congo but did not progress beyond the group stage. Of the 28 players traveling to Morocco for this tournament, 20 play domestically within Tanzania's league. Mbwana Samatta, a former Premier League player, remains the most high-profile member of the squad.
Allarakhia, who has English, Indian, and Spanish heritage, scored his first Tanzania goal during the last international window in a match against Kuwait and has also scored in two recent Rochdale games. Initially, the team faced language and identity challenges, with limited use of Swahili in the camps. Mnoga learned Swahili alongside Allarakhia as they worked to strengthen their connections to their Tanzanian roots.
Two years ago, Tanzania earned more AFCON points than ever before, with the team aiming to advance further in this tournament. The 2027 AFCON is set to be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Mnoga has faced top players like Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco in AFCON and recalls the challenging heat of around 40 degrees Celsius in Côte d’Ivoire. He has noted the cooler conditions in Morocco during the current tournament.
Mnoga's father, Suleiman, a former footballer, plans to travel to support the team. The players see their participation in AFCON as part of a broader diaspora-driven effort to discover and nurture Tanzanian football talent.
