DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 28 -- FOR millions of football fans, the English Premier League is a weekly ritual experienced through television screens, matchday drama and the endless debates that follow the final whistle.

In Dar es Salaam, however, the arrival of its iconic Trophy offered supporters something different: the chance to experience a symbol of the global game up close, on home soil.

For Geoffrey Lea, one of the fans who attended Guinness Matchday, the visit transformed a familiar passion into a real-life encounter. For Joseph Machera, the occasion carried an added significance, bringing together the excitement of English football and the fierce domestic rivalry between Simba SC and Young Africans SC.

“What made the experience...