Kigamboni, Kwenda, Nungwi and Paje and are all popular beaches in Tanzania. Well-known for its safaris, this East African country boasts some of the most stunning seaside resorts in the world, where beach soccer is a common sport.

This activity has become well-organised and institutionalised over the last few years. Following on from this, the national team made significant progress and succeeded in qualifying for the CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations 2024, when Uganda withdrew from their scheduled showdown in July.

That continental tournament will act as a springboard towards the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025™, which Tanzanians have dreamed of participating in. The Kilimanjaro Stars have put their fate in the hands of Jaruph Juma, their country’s undisputed beach soccer star.

The 28-year-old has just one goal in mind: “To put Tanzania on the international beach soccer map.” This mission is the thread that guides the 50-times-capped former international.

Juma spoke to FIFA about Tanzania’s preparations for Beach Soccer AFCON, the progress of the sport in his nation and their World Cup qualification hopes.

What ambitions do you have for the AFCON?
Jaruph Juma: We have big ambitions. Tanzania have come on leaps and bounds in beach soccer over a very short space of time. We are the first team to qualify for the continental beach soccer tournament, which will help us prepare properly and rectify the mistakes we made at the COSAFA Cup last March, where we were knocked out in the first round with three straight defeats. We’re determined to give it our all because we know that this event plays a crucial part in qualifying for the World Cup.

What are you doing to prepare for the tournament?
The team is in good shape physically and mentally. We’re highly motivated. Hopefully our training sessions will give us the edge we need for the tournament. Training sessions are geared towards the standard of the tournament we’re taking part in. We are also grateful that no-one is injured. We’re looking forward to playing a few friendlies to gauge how ready we are for the tournament.

What would it mean to you to qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup?
It would be hugely significant because it would show that excellence is now an integral part of the Tanzanian identity. It would also provide an opportunity for young people and everyone else to learn from the experience. A place at the Beach Soccer World Cup will open up even more opportunities and give us even more recognition. Other competitions will be coming our way, considering the abundance of beach soccer tournaments around the world today. This should also considerably boost the growth of the sport throughout the country.

What is beach soccer’s image like in Tanzania?
It’s becoming an increasingly popular sport. People from all walks of life play beach soccer. Tanzanians are fortunate enough to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, so it’s common to see people of all ages enjoying this sport. We’ve had a national league for two seasons now. We are currently putting infrastructure in place. Qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations and putting in better performances will be a significant step forward for us. This will help raise the profile of beach soccer even further.

Who are the beach soccer greats you admire?
There are two outstanding Senegalese players I’d like to highlight: Raoul Mendy and Papa Rane. They are world-class footballers, extremely technically gifted and they also possess great game intelligence.

What are your thoughts on the Seychelles hosting the next World Cup in 2025?
It’s a golden opportunity for Africa to showcase its organisational capabilities and shine a spotlight on our sport on the biggest platform available. I can’t wait for it to start and to check out how good the teams are because the more tournaments there are, the more impressive they become. I have no doubt that everything will come together to create an amazing celebration.