Zambia are the primary nation to guide their place on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Girls’s Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2026.
The Copper Queens sealed qualification with a 4-2 win within the first leg and a managed 3-0 victory within the return match in opposition to Namibia, underlining their rising stature and signalling they are going to be a aspect to observe on the continent.
Quarter-finalists on the final version, Zambia constructed on that have to forge a balanced, resilient unit able to dealing with stress on huge events.
Even with out star ahead Barbra Banda, Bruce Mwape’s squad discovered options via the entrance pairing of Rachael Kundananji and Rachel Nachula, who delivered a lot of the objectives and demonstrated a pointy understanding in assault.
Towards Namibia, the duo embodied the creativity and leading edge of a Zambian crew able to problem Africa’s finest.
The 2-legged tie informed the story of a whole aspect: an end-to-end first leg during which Zambia imposed their tempo and attacking aptitude, adopted by a tactically assured second leg the place possibilities have been completed with calm precision.
The Copper Queens confirmed they will mix depth with recreation intelligence—an asset for the harder assessments forward.
With qualification secured, Zambia’s ambitions are clear: transcend the quarter-finals and goal the rostrum at subsequent March’s event in Morocco.
The main focus now’s on affirmation. With tactical self-discipline behind them and an more and more complementary ahead line, the Copper Queens have the instruments to shock higher-ranked opponents and depart a long-lasting mark on this AFCON Girls’s version.
