SINGIDA Black Stars head coach, David Ouma, has expressed immense pride following the club's confirmed qualification for the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup.

The Kenyan tactician described the achievement as a significant milestone for the club’s technical bench, leadership, and passionate fanbase.

Singida Black Stars clinched their spot in next season’s continental tournament after Young Africans (Yanga) secured a 2-0 victory over JKT Tanzania in the Federation Cup (FA Cup) semi-final last weekend. 

The result effectively guaranteed Singida Black Stars a top-four finish in the ongoing Mainland Premier League campaign, which is enough to secure a CAF Confederation Cup berth due to the distribution of continental slots by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).

Under TFF regulations, Tanzania is allocated four slots in CAF club competitions - two for the CAF Champions League and two for the CAF Confederation Cup. 

The league champions and runners-up qualify for the Champions League, while the third-placed team and FA Cup winners earn tickets to the Confederation Cup. 

However, with both Young Africans and Simba, who are certain to finish in the top two, also featuring in the FA Cup final, the Confederation Cup places are now set to go to the teams finishing third and fourth - Azam FC and Singida Black Stars respectively.

Reflecting on the achievement, Ouma revealed that securing continental football was among the team’s major objectives for the season.

“One of our main goals at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top four and qualify for CAF competitions,” said Ouma. 

“Now that we have achieved that, we are very proud. It’s a collective success for the entire technical bench, the club leadership, the players, and our loyal fans. We are extremely grateful for how far we have come.”

Despite the celebratory mood, Ouma emphasized that the journey is far from over, with Singida Black Stars facing a tough run of fixtures to conclude their season. 

The team is currently preparing for two crucial back-to-back encounters against Simba, first in the Premier League on May 28, followed by the FA Cup semi-final on May 31.

“We are not done yet,” Ouma remarked. “We’ve resumed training after a four-day break, and all the players are back in camp. We are now fully focused on preparing for the two challenging matches against Simba. Our preparations have gone well so far, and we believe we can give a good account of ourselves.”

Ouma’s tenure at Singida Black Stars began on February 4, 2025, following the departure of Algerian coach Miloud Hamdi, who had joined the club just over a month earlier, on December 30, 2024. 

Hamdi later moved on to take over coaching duties at Young Africans.

Since taking the reins, Ouma has overseen a commendable run of form in the Premier League, guiding Singida Black Stars to six wins, two draws, and three defeats in 11 matches. 

The team currently sits in fourth place with 53 points, cementing their position among the country’s elite clubs this season.

Ouma’s impact has been credited with stabilizing the squad and reigniting their ambitions during the critical phase of the season, especially after the mid-season transition in the technical department.

For now, however, the focus remains on ending the domestic season strongly. The upcoming matches against Simba will not only test Singida Black Stars’ mettle but also serve as a benchmark for the club's readiness to compete beyond Tanzania’s borders.

With Ouma at the helm and momentum on their side, Singida Black Stars are poised to close their 2024/25 campaign on a high and take their growing ambitions into Africa.