This season, Simba SC are returning with renewed determination to reclaim their dominance in African club football, with ambitions of performing better in the CAF Champions League after last season’s campaign ended in disappointment.
The Reds of Msimbazi will begin their journey away from home against Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers in the first qualifying round of the CAF Champions League, before hosting the same side in the second leg in Tanzania.
The aggregate winner between Simba and Mighty Wanderers will advance to the second qualifying round, where they will face the winner of the tie between Equatorial Guinea’s 15 de Agosto and Comoros’ Fomboni FC.
Therefore, Simba’s immediate objective is to get through this stage and reach the group stage, as they have done in previous seasons.
First, It’s Malawi
The first leg between Mighty Wanderers and Simba is scheduled to be played in Malawi on September 6, with the return leg expected to take place in Tanzania on September 13. Simba’s squad is expected to travel to Malawi on Friday, September 4.
Mighty Wanderers are not a team to be taken lightly, having won the Malawi league title and earned the right to represent the country in African club competitions this season.
For Simba, the match will be the first major test of the new squad under head coach Steve Barker in the demanding environment of international competition.
If They Advance, the Journey Continues
Simba will not have much time to celebrate if they eliminate Mighty Wanderers, as the winner of the tie will face the winner of the 15 de Agosto vs Fomboni FC clash in the second qualifying round.
This means Simba already know part of the road they must travel to reach the group stage.
The first leg of the second qualifying round is scheduled to be played between October 16 and 18, with the return legs taking place between October 23 and 25. The 16 teams that win those ties will qualify for the group stage.
Last Season’s Memories Still Hurt
Simba enter this season carrying memories of a disappointing campaign that failed to meet their fans’ expectations.
In the 2025/26 CAF Champions League, the Reds of Msimbazi reached the group stage but finished bottom of Group D.
The result was below the standards Simba have established in recent years, particularly given their ability to reach the latter stages of CAF competitions.
That is why this season is being viewed as an opportunity to correct past mistakes and prove that one poor campaign has not removed Simba from the list of clubs capable of competing successfully in Africa.
CAF itself has identified Simba among the clubs with significant experience and strong competitiveness in African competitions, placing the Reds of Msimbazi among the higher-ranked clubs in the draw for the preliminary rounds.
Simba Fans Want More Than the Quarter-Finals
For Simba fans, qualifying for the group stage will not be enough to mark the end of the journey.
The expectation is for the team to return to its place among the clubs challenging for the latter stages of the CAF Champions League.
In recent years, Simba have demonstrated their ability to compete against some of the continent’s giants and have reached the quarter-finals of the competition several times.
Now, Simba fans want to see the team go beyond that stage.
The quarter-finals are no longer considered the finish line; instead, they are the stage from which Simba must push toward the semi-finals and, if possible, the final.
That is what makes the 2026/27 season so important for the club. The fans want to see the team compete at an even higher level against Africa’s giants rather than repeat what happened last season.
