Azam FC unveil coach Florent Ibengé ahead of the new season

Tanzania Mainland Premier League club Azam FC have appointed Florent Ibengé as their new head coach, marking the Congolese tactician’s return to club football following his departure from Sudan.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Azam Football Club (@azamfcofficial)

Alongside Ibengé, a club statement further announced the appointments of Addis Worku as assistant coach, Rody Mountaro as goalkeeping coach, and Omar Boukathem as a video analyst. All three previously worked with Ibengé, particularly during his time in Sudan, reinforcing a trusted coaching structure.

Speaking after being unveiled, Ibengé, the experienced Congolese tactician with a decorated resume that includes successful spells at DRC’s AS Vita Club and Al-Hilal Omdurman of Sudan, said he was determined to mount a serious challenge to end the dominance of champions Young Africans SC and Simba SC.

“We’re building a cohesive unit to compete at the highest level,” Ibengé stated during his unveiling at Azam FC’s base at Chamazi in Dar es Salaam. “The Tanzanian league is competitive, and there is a great rivalry between Simba and Young Africans.

“We are among the top three teams in the league. Supporters, let’s work together to succeed with Azam.”

Ibengé, whose career spans national and club roles across the continent, brings a wealth of experience to the Tanzanian side. He previously led DR Congo’s national team to a third-place finish at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and guided AS Vita Club to the final of the CAF Champions League in 2014.

He clinched the CAF Confederation Cup title with Morocco’s RS Berkane in 2022. In November 2022, Ibenge won the Sudan Cup after Al-Hilal defeated Al Ahli Khartoum in the final, winning via a 4-3 penalty shoot-out after the match had ended in a goalless draw after extra time.

Following the start of the 2023 Sudan conflict, Ibengé voiced his plans to set up a base camp for Al-Hilal players in Cairo, Egypt, and expressed hopes that the team would continue to play in the Arab Club Champions Cup. In April 2023, Ibengé and his family fled to France via Djibouti.