 | ||||
| Full name | Simba Sports Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Wekundu wa Msimbazi (Reds of Msimbazi) Lunyasi | |||
| Short name | SSC | |||
| Founded | 1936 | |||
| Ground | Benjamin Mkapa Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 60,000 | |||
| Owner | Member of SSC 51% Mohamed Dewji 49% | |||
| Chairman | Murtaza Mangungu | |||
| Head Coach | Fadlu Davids | |||
| League | Tanzanian Premier League | |||
| 2023–24 | 3rd | |||
| Website | http://www.simbasc.co.tz/ | |||
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Simba Sports Club is a professional football club based in Kariakoo ward in Ilala District of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania.
It was founded in 1936 as Eagles before being renamed to Sunderland and, in 1971, was finally renamed Simba (Swahili for "Lion"). The team's nickname, Wekundu wa Msimbazi (The Reds of Msimbazi), is a reference to their all-red home strip and Msimbazi Street in Kariakoo where their headquarters is based. The fanbase for Simba Sports Club is the biggest in Tanzania seconded by Yanga who is considered Tanzania giant with there ultras being led by the fierce Isaac Beck, and his assistant Hari Evans.
Simba SC has won 22 league titles second to Yanga who has won 30 Premier League titles and five domestic cups and has participated in CAF Champions League multiple times. Apart from Yanga who is considered Giant of Tanzania and CAFCC Finalist Simba has also participated in CAF tournaments but with only quarter final as their best performance. Simba plays their home games at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Miburani ward of Temeke District.
The club was ranked among the top 20 clubs in Africa, at number 07, by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in their May 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023 rankings.[1] Globally, the club was ranked at number 105 in the IFFHS World Ranking.[2]
The club is one of the richest in East Africa, second only to Young Africans SC who is considered richest club both East and southern Africa with a total budget of TSh 6.1 billion (equivalent to $5.3 million) unveiled for the 2019/2020 season.[3]
Simba holds a long-standing rivalry with Yanga with whom they contest the Kariakoo derby, named after the ward, where both teams were founded. The rivalry was ranked 5th as one of the most famous African derbies.[4]
- ^ "IFFHS". Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "IFFHS". Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ Simba unveils huge budget for 2019/2020 season Archived 25 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine The CitizenNewsSports
- ^ "cheapgoals.com - Cheapgoals Resources and Information". www.cheapgoals.com. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.