While the FKF Premier League restricts clubs to five foreign players, Tanzania’s Ligi Kuu Bara allows up to twelve. This policy difference has led to a steady growth in the popularity of Ligi Kuu Bara, while the FKF Premier League has struggled to gain traction.

Currently, Ligi Kuu Bara ranks sixth in Africa according to the latest Confederation of African Football (CAF) rankings for the 2024-25 season, whereas the FKF Premier League remains unranked.

In reducing the number of foreign players from seven to five, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) emphasized the need to nurture local talent. In contrast, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) saw an opportunity to build a competitive league by allowing up to twelve foreign players per club.

“We opened up our league to Africa and, by extension, the whole world, and it has paid off. Today, we attract quality players from the entire continent. This has made the league popular, and our clubs are doing well at the continental level,” said Walace Karia, president of the TFF.

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Recent performances by Tanzanian clubs, particularly Yanga SC, which reached the CAF Confederation Cup final and the Champions League quarterfinals, along with Simba SC’s consistent success in the Champions League, indicate that Karia and the TFF made the right choice.

The national team, Taifa Stars, has also seen significant improvement. “Our local players are now competing against the best talents from other regions, which has helped them grow individually. Our clubs are also competing at the highest level on the continent, exposing players to top-level football. This has resulted in improved performance for Taifa Stars,” Karia added.

To further develop local talent, the TFF requires all clubs to pay $3,000 for each foreign player signed, with the funds directed toward youth development. Additionally, the federation runs U20 and U17 leagues for the Ligi Kuu clubs and the second-tier league, respectively. Starting this season, all top-tier league teams must field at least one U20 player in their line-up.

As a result, up to half of the recent Taifa Stars squad consists of players who have come through the junior ranks.