2025 promises a lot of action for Women’s Football with the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, The African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification, The U-17 Women’s World Cup, and qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will all take place this year. 
However we look back at 2024 a year that was almost perfect for Women’s Football. 
Zambia dominated the region, qualified to the WAFCON, the Olympics and also the U17 Women’s World Cup. 
COPPER PRINCESSES 
The Zambia U17 Women’s National Team qualified to the 2024 U17 Women’s World Cup. 
Carol Kanyemba’s side saw off Tanzania in the second round via a 5-1 aggregate scoreline with a brace from Blessings Zangose Zulu and a goal each from Saliya Mwanza, Bwalya Namute Chileshe and Ruth Muwowo. 
In the third round, Zambia beat Uganda 2-1 on aggregate thanks to a 2-0 home win in the first leg at the Heroes Stadium with goals from Ruth Mukoma and Namute Chileshe. 
The team lost 1-0 in Kitende, Uganda in the second leg. 
The Copper Princesses sealed their path to  the 8th edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with a 3-1 aggregate win over Morocco, Bwalya Namute Chileshe scoring a hat-trick in the first leg before a goalless draw in the return fixture. 
This was only Zambia’s second appearance at the global showpiece after making a maiden appearance in 2014. 
At the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup things did not go as planned as Zambia suffered three straight losses. 
The Copper Princesses lost 1-0 to Brazil, 2-0 to Poland and concluded the tournament with a 4-1 bashing at the hands of Japan. 
Coach Carol Kanyemba quickly regrouped with her team as they needed to participate in a regional showpiece, the COSAFA U17 Women’s Championship. 
The Copper Princesses started the tournament with a 3-0 win over Botswana thanks to goals from Mercy Chipasula, Natasha Nkaka and Hellen Banda. 
In the second match, Zambia came from a goal down to thrash Zimbabwe 7-2 and stay at the top of Group C at UJ AW Muller Stadium. Chedza Khumalo opened the scoring for Zimbabwe with her second goal of the tournament inside 10 minutes with Tatenda Gambiza getting the consolation.
There were three braces for the Copper Princesses, from Mercy Chipasula, who took her goal tally to three goals, Grace Phiri and Masela Sekeseka, while Lweendo Hanongo also contributed to the score.
The Copper Princesses completed their group matches with a ruthless win over Mauritius putting 10 past them without reply to finish first in the pool with nine points in Soweto.
Player of the Match Masela Sekeseke scored four goals to take her tally to six in the tournament. Mercy Chipasula contributed a brace making it five goals for the captain at the event, Natasha Nkaka now has three goals after scoring a brace on Monday.
Grace Phiri was also on the score sheet with a sole goal which took her tally to three while Nasaina Tahiajee unfortunately scored into her own net.
In the semifinals, Zambia beat Madagascar 3-0 with goals from Hellen Banda, Grace Phiri and Mercy Chipasula. 
Zambia were crowned the 2024 COSAFA Under-17 Girls Championship winners after humbling debutants Lesotho 15-0 in a one sided final in Soweto to claim gold. 
Mercy Chipasula put in a master class scoring seven goals while Masela Sekeseke scored a hat-trick, Hellen Banda scored a brace, with Lilian  Mwenda, Janet Chirwa and Wendy Mwikisa contributing a goal each. 
YOUNG COPPER QUEENS 
The Zambia U20 Women’s National Team won the 2024 COSAFA U20 Women’s Championship with a 100 percent winning record. 
The Young Copper Queens edged Mozambique 1-0 to conclude a five team tournament played on a round robin basis. 
Zambia started with a 9-0 win over Lesotho then beat South Africa 3-0 before thrashing Botswana 6-0.
A Blessings Zangose Zulu goal was enough for the Charles Haalubono coached side to secure gold at the regional showpiece with a 1-0 win over Mozambique in their last game of the tournament. 
Zambia scored 19 goals minus conceding a single goal. 
COPPER QUEENS 
The Copper Queens started the year with qualifying to the 2024 WAFCON beating Angola 12-0 in aggregate with Barbra Banda leading the way with four goals. 
Lushomo Mweemba, Ireen Lungu, Racheal Kundananji, Susan Banda, Aveil Chitundu and Esther Banda scored a goal each. 
The Copper Queens then took on their next assignment at the 2024 Paris Olympics qualification. 
The Copper Queens beat Ghana 4-3 on aggregate in the second round .Skipper Barbra Banda scored an injury time free kick to send Zambia to the final round of the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier.
The win meant Zambia set up a meeting with Morocco in the final round. 
The Copper Queens booked their ticket to their second consecutive Olympics Women’s Football Tournament after doing the unthinkable in reversing a 2-1 home defeat to a 2-0 win over Morocco.
A brace by the Copper Queens skipper, Barbra Banda who shone at the 2020 edition of the global showpiece ensured that Zambia went  through after a nervy start.
At the tournament, Zambia did not have a pleasant tournament as they lost all their three group games. 
Zambia lost 3-0 to the USA, before crumbling after a healthy lead to lose 6-5 to the Matildas of Australia and ending the tournament with a 4-1 loss to Germany. 
The only positive note was Barbra Banda scoring yet another Olympics hat-trick. 
The Copper Queens then concluded the year with a title. 
Zambia were crowned 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship winners after they edged hosts South Africa 4-3 on penalties following a goalless draw in the final in Gqebeha, earning the Copper Queens’ their second title.
KUNDANANJI MAKES HISTORY 
In February, Racheal Kundananji became the most expensive women’s footballer in history after joining Bay FC from Madrid CFF for $860,000 (£685,000).
The forward, who scored 33 goals in 43 Liga F games for Madrid, agreed a four-year deal with the American club, with the option of a further year.
This meant, Kundananji, 23, became the first African player, male or female, to break a world transfer record.
BARBRA BANDA’S YEAR 
Banda started the year with a big money move to Orlando Pride becoming the second-most expensive women’s transfer in history.
The 23-year-old joined the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club for $740,000 (£581,000) from Chinese club Shanghai Shengli.
Banda joined Pride on a four-year deal and will become one of the highest-paid players in the United States’ NWSL.
In her debut season in the National Women’s Soccer League with Orlando Pride, Banda was instrumental in her team’s success, scoring 13 goals and 6 assists during the regular season. 
Her impactful performance in the playoffs, including scoring the game-winning goal in the final, earned her the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade. 
She scored 4 goals across the three knockout stages and assisted one as Orlando Pride won the NWSL Championship after having won the NWSL shield. 
Banda was named in the NWSL Best XI, She was also named in the FIFPRO World eleven  becoming the first African to be named in the 2024 FIFPRO Women’s World 11, a global recognition determined by votes from 7,000 professional footballers and she also made the IFFHS World XI. 
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where she netted four goals for the Copper Queens during the tournament, Banda made history as the first player in women’s football to score three hat-tricks in Olympic games. 
Banda became the first Zambian to win the CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award and was also named in the CAF/FIFPRO Africa XI 2024.
Banda was voted the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year and came out second in the FIFA, The Best Awards, in the World Women’s Football player of year awards. 
The Zambian international came out 12th in the Ballon D’or awards. 
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