Simba head coach Steve Barker was expected to return to Tanzania today to take charge of the team ahead of the CECAFA Kagame Cup, which is scheduled to kick off on July 24 in Rwanda.
Simba resumed training last Saturday under the guidance of assistant coach Suleiman Matola, who was entrusted with overseeing the initial phase of pre-season preparations while Barker completed his holiday in South Africa.
The club will use the CECAFA Kagame Cup as an important part of its preparations for the 2026/27 season.
Simba are among the Tanzanian representatives taking part in the tournament, alongside Singida Black Stars. The competition will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 24 to August 7, bringing together some of the top clubs from the East and Central African region.
The CECAFA Kagame Cup is one of the longest-running football tournaments in East and Central Africa and has traditionally served as a key pre-season competition for clubs preparing for their domestic leagues and CAF competitions.
The tournament traces its origins back to 1926 as the Gossage Cup, which initially featured only Kenya and Uganda. Tanganyika joined the competition in 1945, followed by Zanzibar in 1949, helping expand the tournament across the region.
According to the draw, Simba have been placed in Group B alongside defending champions Singida Black Stars, Jamus SC of South Sudan, and Mogadishu City Club of Somalia.
Simba are the most successful club in the history of the CECAFA Kagame Cup, having won the title six times—in 1974, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, and 2002. That record gives the Msimbazi Reds the distinction of entering this year's tournament as its most decorated team.
