- There has been a hotly contested debate between CHAN 2024 co-hosts Kenya and Tanzania on who is better at football.
- Statistics show that Harambee Stars has a better head-to-head record compared to the Taifa Stars.
- Kenya has also featured in more AFCON tournaments compared to Tanzania.
For many decades, Tanzanians and Kenyans have argued who has the better national men’s football team. Is it the Taifa Stars or Harambee Stars? The debate got hotter recently when the two teams played in the CHAN 2024 tournament.
To put this debate to rest, we went beyond the arguments from the ordinary Taifa Stars and Harambee Stars and delved deeper into statistics.
From the head-to-head record to the past achievements, stats show the better team in this regional football rivalry.
Taifa Stars vs Harambee Stars head-to-head record
Tanzania and Kenya have battled it out 14 times in all competitions since 2007.
Out of those 14 matches, Taifa Stars has secured three wins. Four of those fixtures ended in a draw.
- Taifa Stars: 3
- Draws: 4
- Harambee Stars: 7
The most recent match between the two nations that was played on March, 15, 2021 ended 2-1 in favor of the Harambee Stars.
Besides dominating the head-to-head record, Kenya has also won four and picked up two draws in the latest six games against Tanzania.
Who is ranked higher in the FIFA world rankings between Tanzania and Kenya football team?
Tanzania was ranked higher in the latest FIFA world rankings that was released by the world football governing body on July 10, 2025.
According to the rankings, the Taifa Stars occupied position 103 while Harambee Stars sat at number 109. The next FIFA world rankings will be announced in September.
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Other essential facts about Tanzania and Kenya men’s national soccer teams
Both Kenya and Tanzania are co-hosting the CHAN 2024 edition that will end on Saturday, August 30.
Harambee Stars and the Tanzania national football team were both eliminated from the tournament at the quarter-finals stage.
Harambee Stars were bundled out by Madagascar while Tanzania’s journey ended in the hands of Morocco. Madagascar, Sudan, Senegal and Morocco have proceeded to the next round.
Should the two East African countries have advanced to the last round, they could have played against each other in the final that will take place at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Stadium on Saturday, August 30.
The other important information about Harambee Stars and Taifa Stars, is that both have played in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) showpiece on several occasions. Kenya has featured in the AFCON six times (1972, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2004 and 2019).
On the other side, Tanzania have played in that tournament three times (1980, 2019 and 2023). The two neighbors will also participate in the 2027 since they are among the co-hosts.
Therefore, although the Taifa Stars have been on the rise in recent years, records show that Harambee Stars has been a better team. The fact that Kenya has a better head-to-head record and have competed in more AFCON tournaments than Tanzania, shows that it has a rich football legacy. Finally, the debate on who is the expert in football between Kenya and Tanzania is likely to continue in future.