The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has postponed seven league matches to pave the way for a special match between Zanzibar Heroes versus Kilimanjaro Stars as well as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.

According to the statement issued by TPLB on Friday, the game is set at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on December 27. It will officially be used to inaugurate the newly refurbished arena whose face-lifting exercise has been conducted under the presidency of Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

The cancellation of the games is also meant to provide enough preparation time for the country’s senior football team Taifa Stars ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals to be played in Ivory Coast.

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The postponed matches with the initial dates in the bracket are Tabora United versus Simba SC (December 29), Young Africans (Yanga SC) versus Mashujaa (December 29), and Mashujaa against Simba (December).

Others are Kagera Sugar versus Young Africans (December 26), Simba against Azam (January 1), Geita Gold versus Simba (January 4), and Yanga against Dodoma Jiji (January 2). The statement further revealed the postponement of the matches is in accordance with article 34:1(1.1, 1.5) of the Premier League’s match postponement and will be rescheduled later after Taifa Stars finish its AFCON games.