#24. Zambia 🇿🇲
Population: 20,216,029
Nickname: Chipolopolo
Appearances: 18th
Last Appearance: 2015
Coach: Avram Grant
Best AFCON results: 2012
Skipper: Lubambo Musonda
Player to watch: Patson Daka
Region: COSAFA
CAF Rankings: 17
FIFA Rankings: 84
Most Caps: Kennedy Mweene (122)
Top Scorer: Godfred Chitalu (79)
The Chipolopolo of Zambia has not had a good time at the AFCON since shocking everyone in 2012 when they won on penalties against Ivory Coast. Two Group Stages exits in 2013 and 2015 were followed by three consecutive misses of the competition in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Avram Grant has done a great job by securing qualification for Zambia after finishing on 13 points as Ivory Coast. Zambia thrashed the Elephants 3-0 in the qualifiers and it was Zambia’s best performance in almost 3 years.
The Coppers Bullet’s 2023 was incredible even though they lost 2-1 to Niger in the second game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after opening the campaign with a hard-fought 4-2 win over Congo.
A new generation of Zambian football is spearheaded by Leicester City’s Patson Daka, former Rangers hitman Fashion Sakala, Lecce’s Lameck Banda and Crvena Zvezda’s Kings Kangwa.
The Core of the Team
Lawrence Mulengwa is Zambia’s number-one goalkeeper so he is expected to man the post.
Experienced Stoppila Sunzu will lead the Chipolopolos defence with Dominic Chanda.
Kings Kangwa and Emmanuel Banda are expected to be Avram Grant’s first-choice central midfielders.
Fashion Sakala and Pataon Daka will lead Zambia’s attack.
Probable line up
4-3-3
Mulenga
Chanda, Kabwe, Sunzu, Chepeshi
Banda, Kangwa, Chama
Sakala, Daka, Banda
Notable Legends
Godfrey Chitalu, Kalusha Bwalya, Kennedy Mweene, Christopher Katongo, Emmanuel Mayuka, Rainford Kalaba, Jacob Muleka, Samuel Nshlovu
Expectations: Round 16
Fixtures
DR Congo v Zambia
Zambia v Tanzania
Zambia v Morocco
