SIMBA SC head coach Fadlu Davids has revealed the club’s bold ambition to dominate the CAF Champions League starting next season, following their successful qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup final.

The Dar es Salaam giants made history by reaching the final of the inter-club competition after a 1-0 aggregate win over South African side Stellenbosch FC. 

Simba secured a crucial 1-0 victory in the first leg at home before holding Stellenbosch to a goalless draw in the return leg in South Africa.

Following finishing third in the Tanzanian Premier League- behind Azam FC and champions Young Africans - Simba missed out on this season’s CAF Champions League. 

However, they defied expectations in the Confederation Cup, overcoming past quarter-final barriers to reach their second continental final in club history.

Davids (pictured) is optimistic that Simba’s historic season can fuel a strong campaign in next season’s CAF Champions League. The club is expected to enter the competition in the final qualification round for the group stage, with the decisive second leg to be played at home.

Simba will begin their CAF Confederation Cup final campaign on May 17 with an away leg against Moroccan heavyweights RS Berkane. The return leg is set for May 25 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

This marks the second time in recent years that a Tanzanian club has reached the CAF Confederation Cup final, following Young Africans' narrow away-goal loss to USM Alger in the 2023 final after a 2-2 aggregate draw.

Having reached the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League on five previous occasions, Simba will be aiming to progress further as they build on the momentum of this season.

“Simba SC is fully committed to our Champions League ambition,” Davids said. “Having embarked on this project just eight or nine months ago, our objective is clear: to dominate the continent’s premier club competition. We are on track to qualify for the CAF Champions League.”

According to sources, the club’s strategic vision aligns with the approach used by Dr. Patrice Motsepe at Mamelodi Sundowns, driven by club president Mohammed Dewji’s ambition to make Simba a dominant force in African football.

“We are still in the early stages of this project,” a club official noted. “There is much more to come, and our young squad hasn’t yet reached its full potential. The experience from this Confederation Cup run is invaluable. However, next season will require strengthening the squad to compete at the highest level.”

Davids took over coaching duties from Abdelhak Benchikha and now aims to deliver Simba’s first continental title when they meet RS Berkane in the Confederation Cup final.

Simba’s continental aspirations coincide with a pursuit of a domestic treble. The club faces a demanding schedule of four Mainland Premier League matches within 10 days, which will be pivotal in the title race.

Their upcoming opponents include Mashujaa FC, JKT Tanzania, Pamba Jiji, and KMC FC—matches that could determine their chances of reclaiming the league crown and maintaining momentum ahead of the CAF final.