TANZANIA’s reigning women’s football champions, JKT Queens, are set to travel to Turkey this week as part of their preparations for the upcoming 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League, which is scheduled to kick off in November in Algeria.

The Tanzanian giants, who earned their spot in the continental showpiece after clinching the CECAFA Women’s Champions League title, will depart Dar es Salaam on October 9 for a two-week pre-tournament camp in Istanbul.

 According to JKT spokesperson Masau Bwire, the team is currently finalizing its local training sessions and travel logistics ahead of the European trip. “Our team is in camp in Dar es Salaam and will travel to Turkey on the 9th for intensive preparations ahead of the CAF Women’s Champions League,” Bwire confirmed. 

 “All arrangements, including clearance from the Tanzania Football Federation and other formalities, are progressing smoothly.” While in Istanbul, JKT Queens will train at the Santatec Sports Complex and engage in a series of friendly matches against top Turkish clubs. Among their confirmed opponents are Fatih Vatanspor and Çekmeköy Bilgidoğa Spor, both established sides in the Turkish Women’s Super League.

 Bwire explained that Turkey was strategically chosen for the camp due to its favorable weather conditions, which closely mirror those in Algeria. “Currently, temperatures in Istanbul are around 20°C, while in Algeria they are about 22°C. The climates are quite similar, and this will help our players acclimatize better ahead of the tournament,” he said.

 The trip marks a crucial stage in JKT Queens’ preparations as they aim to make a strong impression in their debut appearance on Africa’s biggest women’s club football stage. “Our focus is fully on performing well at this major African competition,” Bwire emphasized.

 So far, several teams have confirmed qualification for the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League, including defending champions TP Mazembe (DR Congo), USFAS (Mali), Gaborone United (Botswana), ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire), ASFAR (Morocco), JKT Queens (Tanzania), and 15 de Agosto (Equatorial Guinea).