By Gabriel Nkunika Green Buffaloes FC (GBFC) was the most dominant football club in Zambia during the 1970s. Backed by the Zambia Army, the club won six league titles in the decade and became a formidable force in Zambian football. Their dominance was built on discipline, structure, and a unique recruitment strategy that gave them a significant advantage over civilian clubs. The Winning Strategy Unlike most teams, Buffaloes had a military-backed structure that enabled them to attract the best Zambian players by offering them opportunities to join the Zambia Army. This strategy provided several advantages: One of the important figures in Green Buffaloes’ history is the late Col Brightwell Banda who was an unheralded genius in the local beautiful game. The man stands out as the first Zambian to be trained to the hilt as a football coach. Going into the second half of the 70s, he already possessed an ‘A’ licence obtained in Germany. For two years, he was away in that country and Yugoslavia. During that time, he was for six months on attachment at Bayern Munich. GBFC became a talking point in local football in the 70s going by the way they played; fondly referred to as the ‘Untouchables’. They were too good to be true. Between 1973 and 1981, Green Buffaloes won six league titles – the 1974 one, going all the way with an unbeaten run! Only Nkana have achieved this feat locally, theirs in 1982. GBFC also collected numerous silverware during Col Banda’s time. The Decline of Buffaloes in the 1980s Despite their dominance in the 1970s, Green Buffaloes began to decline in the 1980s. Several factors contributed to their fall. The rise of Nkana FC saw them become a powerhouse, winning seven league titles. Nkana had better scouting, financial backing from mining companies, and stronger fan support. As Zambian football became more professional in the 1990s and 2000s, players sought better salaries and foreign exposure, which Buffaloes could not offer. Additionally, while teams like Power Dynamos, ZESCO United, Zanaco, Lusaka Dynamos, and Buildcon began recruiting talent from DR Congo, Ghana, and Zimbabwe, Buffaloes stuck to signing only local players, limiting their competitiveness. Furthermore, other clubs adopted modern football strategies with long-term coaching projects, while Buffaloes remained too traditional in their approach. A Trophy Drought and Minimal Success Since the 1970s, Buffaloes have struggled to regain their dominance. Their only major trophy in recent decades was the 2015 Barclays Cup (now ABSA Cup), where they defeated Nkwazi FC 2-0. Buffaloes have also qualified for continental competitions such as the CAF Confederation Cup, with back-to-back qualifications in 2017 and 2018, but they have struggled to make a significant impact on the international stage. Meanwhile, teams like Nkana, ZESCO United, Power Dynamos, and Zanaco have won multiple league titles, leaving Buffaloes behind. Interestingly, while the men’s team has struggled, the Green Buffaloes Women’s Team has become the most dominant force in Zambian women’s football. Using the same military-backed recruitment strategy, they have: A Shift in the Transfer Policy In 2022, Green Buffaloes FC made a significant change to its transfer policy in an effort to strengthen the squad. The club announced that it would begin signing foreign players, marking a departure from its previous approach. However, a key condition was set—only players willing to join without demanding military jobs would be considered. This shift aimed to attract talented international players while maintaining the club’s operational principles as a military-affiliated team. Unfortunately, this strategy has not yet yielded positive results, and the club has not regained its glory days of the 1970s. Green Buffaloes FC will always be remembered as the dominant force of the 1970s, but their failure to adapt to changing football dynamics led to their decline. However, with the right strategy, they could still rise again and reclaim their place among Zambia’s football elites. The question remains—will they evolve, or will they remain a historical powerhouse of the past?
The Absa Bank Zambia sponsored 2025 ABSA Cup semi-finals will take place at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium after being moved to Kabwe earlier in the day. In a joint media statement from ABSA Bank Zambia and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) the two major stakeholders confirmed the development. The semi finals were initially scheduled for 26 April at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, but were this morning moved to Railway Stadium, Kabwe citing security concerns following the Kitwe derby chaos. “This change follows incidents during a recent ZPL fixture and aims to ensure safety for all.” A joint statement from FAZ and ABSA read in the morning. That has now changed with the matches being taken back to Levy Mwanawasa Stadium after a thorough review of logistics, security and stakeholders engagements. Tickets for the semifinals are set to go on sale tomorrow via Computicket in Shoprite stores. Defending Champions, Red Arrows will square off against Power Dynamos in the early kick off before 2019 winners Nkana take on record six time winners ZESCO United. The winners of this year’s edition will walk away with the K1,000,000 winners’ prize money. Runners-up will receive K400,000 and there is also a travel subsidy of K50,000 to all teams. ABSA Cup Quarter Finals Fixtures Saturday, April 26th, 2025 12h30 Red Arrows vs Power Dynamos | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola 15h00 ZESCO United Vs Nkana | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola. Prize Money : Breakdown 🏆 Winning Team – K1,000,000 🥈 Runners-up – K400,000 ⭐ Player of the Tournament – K25,000 ⚽ Golden Boot (Top Scorer) – K25,000 🧤 Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper) – K25,000 💰 QF, Semi-Final, Final Man of the Match – K15,000 Travel Subsidy – K30,000 – K50,000 (depending on distance)
Chipolopolo winger Chipyoka Songa on Monday won promotion to the Israeli topflight with Hapoel Petah Tikva. Petah Tikva secured promotion to the Israeli Premier League after a 1-0 win against Bnei Yehuda which took them to 78 points. The 1-0 win was Petah Tikva’s sixth consecutive league victory and gave the signal for celebrations. Petah Tikva returned to the topflight just one year after being relegated from the Premier League. Chipyoka has registered seven goals and eight assists in 34 games across all club competitions this season. Songa joined the then Israeli second tier side in July 2024 penning a one year loan deal from nine time Zambia Super League side ZESCO United with an option to buy at the end of the season. Songa spent last season on loan at Nes Ziona where he had a fairly good season scoring 9 goals and provided four assists.
Youngster Faith Kaunda finally made her Copper Princesses debut on Saturday in the team’s 2-1 win over Benin in the third and final round of the 2025 U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, first leg. Kaunda came off the bench to play in an unfamiliar left back position and impressed despite it being her first game. Kaunda was left ecstatic after a dream debut and revealed that coach Carol Kanyemba gave her confidence that she can do it despite it being her first game in national colours. The 13 year old ZedPro Sports Foundation forward was happy to be involved in the second goal scored by Mercy Chipasula. “I am very happy to have made my debut. The coach encouraged me to play, she said she knew it was my first time but she was confident that I could play,” Kaunda told the ZamFoot Crew. “I am happy that the pass I gave ended up with us winning a foul and us scoring the second goal. For the second leg, we need to have love as a team so that we can win the second half because this was the first leg.” “To the fans I want to say thank you for coming to watch us,”She added. Meanwhile skipper Mercy Chipasula described the match against Benin as a tough encounter. Chipasula says the team needs to work hard in the second leg to win the game and not concede a goal. “The game was not easy, it was very difficult, the way we watched them and how they played was very different. We need to work hard in the second leg like the way we did here after conceding we pulled up our socks. We need to win in Togo and avoid conceding so we need to work hard as a team,” he said. “I am happy to have scored. As a captain I have to lead by example. I kept pushing my teammates so that we kept pushing until the end of the match.” The second leg will be staged at a neutral venue in Lome on Saturday, 26 April 2025, following a decision to host Benin’s home fixture in Togo. The overall winner over two legs will qualify for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025 to be held in October.
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