The second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final between Tanzania’s Simba and Morocco’s Renaissance Berkane, scheduled for Sunday, has been overshadowed by a venue dispute.
Simba, trailing 2-0 from the first leg, wanted to host the decisive match at Dar es Salaam’s 60,000-capacity Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. However, CAF deemed the stadium unsuitable after inspection, citing poor pitch conditions.
Instead, CAF ordered the match to be played at the smaller Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, which holds 15,000 spectators and is accessible only by a three-hour ferry ride from Dar es Salaam. The decision follows previous complaints about the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium’s pitch, which also forced Simba’s semi-final to be moved to Zanzibar.
Simba owner Mo Dewji expressed disappointment but urged the team to embrace the challenge with pride and unity despite the venue change.
The Moroccan side reportedly faced a cold reception in Zanzibar, with passport control delays and no formal welcome from Simba, describing the conditions as “chaotic and unacceptable” for a continental final.
In the first leg, Renaissance Berkane took a strong lead with two early goals from Mamadou Camara and Oussama Lamlioui, the latter being the competition’s joint top scorer.
Simba coach Fadlu Davids acknowledged the disadvantage of not playing in Dar es Salaam before a larger home crowd but remained optimistic about his team’s chances in Zanzibar.
The winner of the CAF Confederation Cup will take home $2 million, while the runner-up receives $1 million.
