THE Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has responded firmly to threats by Young Africans Sports Club (Yanga) to boycott the upcoming CRDB Bank Federation Cup final, clarifying that the club is not owed any prize money by the federation, but rather has an outstanding financial obligation to TFF.

The dispute began on Monday, when Young Africans SC’s head of media and communication, Ali Kamwe (pictured), held a press conference accusing TFF and tournament sponsor CRDB Bank of failing to pay the club its prize money for winning the 2023/24 edition of the CRDB Bank Federation Cup. 

Kamwe stated that unless the club receives the payment, it will not participate in this year’s final scheduled for June 28, 2025, in Zanzibar against Singida Black Stars.

In his statement, Kamwe declared: “This message is directed to the TFF General Secretary and the sponsors of the CRDB Federation Cup. We will not play the final on June 28 unless we are paid our championship prize money for last season. We have tolerated this disrespect from football authorities for too long. This time, it ends. We will also not participate in the final in Zanzibar.”

The club has raised four separate claims against TFF and the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB), insisting these matters must be addressed before they agree to play in the domestic league or the Federation Cup final.

Following Young Africans’ public statement, CRDB Bank moved quickly to distance itself from the dispute, stating that it had already fulfilled its financial obligations for the 2023/24 season. In an official statement released yesterday on June 10, 2025, CRDB Bank clarified that all payments were made in full to TFF as per the sponsorship agreement.

“CRDB Bank is a professional institution that adheres to established contracts and procedures. We have already disbursed all funds for the last season to TFF, in accordance with our sponsorship agreement. Our commitment to football remains strong, and we will continue supporting the sport for the benefit of our youth and the nation at large.”

The bank emphasized that it is not involved in the disbursement process to individual clubs and that all financial responsibilities were executed through TFF, the official organizing body of the competition.

In response to the mounting pressure and public discourse, TFF released an official statement on its social media platforms to clarify the issue. The federation confirmed that CRDB Bank is the official sponsor of the Federation Cup and has fully met its contractual obligations, including disbursing TSh 255 million for the 2023/24 season.

The statement from TFF read: “We wish to confirm to the public that CRDB Bank, the title sponsor of the Federation Cup, has fulfilled all its contractual duties. For the 2023/24 season, CRDB Bank paid a total of TSh 255,000,000 for the organization of the competition.”

TFF also directly addressed the specific claim by Young Africans, which is demanding TSh 200 million as their prize for winning last season’s Federation Cup.

“We have heard the claims made by Young Africans through the media, but we must clarify that it is actually Young Africans that owes TFF. The club requested in writing that part of their prize money from various competitions be used to settle debts they owe TFF, including fees for foreign players.”

To resolve the matter, TFF has invited Young Africans to send a financial representative to the federation’s offices for a reconciliation meeting.

“To avoid further public confusion, we have officially written to Young Africans SC, requesting that their financial officer visit our offices at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow with all supporting documentation to verify the club’s outstanding balance.”

TFF concluded its statement by affirming its continued commitment to managing football in Tanzania transparently and protecting the reputation of its sponsors.

“The Federation will continue to carry out its responsibilities in overseeing football and upholding the image of our partners, including our sponsors.”

The dispute has now thrown the upcoming Federation Cup final into uncertainty, as Young Africans remain adamant that it will not take part unless the issue is resolved to its satisfaction. 

With less than three weeks to go before the final, football stakeholders across the country will be watching closely to see whether a resolution can be reached in time.