The Chipolopolo Boys will on Wednesday evening take on Tanzania in a 2026 World Cup qualifier set for Amani Stadium in Zanzibar. Coach Avram Grant will be looking to pick a positive result away in East Africa to keep the Copper Bullets World Cup dreams alive though the chances are very slim. The Israeli gaffer will look to field his strongest side from the available players in his squad. Power Dynamos goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga is expected to start between the sticks ahead of Red Arrows’ Charles Kalumba and Patrick Chooma of Nkana. Mulenga is likely to take up the role and replace Toaster Nsabata who was in goal as Zambia succumbed to a 2-0 loss at home to Morocco. Prior to the 2023 AFCON, Mulenga started in goal in the friendly against Cameroon and was also in goal in the 2-1 loss to Niger. He was in goal for the Chipolopolo Boys unfruitful AFCON outing in January 2024 putting in full shifts in all three group games. After the tournament due to lack of game time at club level Mulenga lost his place to Toaster Nsabata in the last three 2025 AFCON qualifiers after starting the first three. But after a year, The Blue Bullets product seems to have regained his place as the first choice for the 2012 AFCON winners and is expected to this evening. The second option is Charles Kalumba, The Red Arrows first choice goalkeeper who has been around the national team set-up for the last six years. The 29 year old was first spotted and earmarked by then Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic as a possible first choice goalkeeper at the Cameroon 2020 CHAN tournament. He made some costly mistakes but worked his way back to the national team set up, winning his third cap against Iraq. Kalumba impressed as he saved Zambia from a tennis scoreline in Baghdad. He was also a pivotal part of the Red Arrows squad that won a domestic double in the 2023/2024 season as well as the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup. He was also between the sticks as Zambia suffered a narrow one nil loss to Kenya at the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament. The third option is Patrick Chooma, the Nkana goalkeeper who received his call up under coach Avram Grant. Chooma is Zambia U20 National team graduate and has been a consistent feature in the MTN Super League, first with Prison leopards and now with record 13 time Champions Nkana. Chooma was part of the 2020 class for Young Chipolopolo Boys that included Golden Mashata, Golden Mafwenta, Joshua Mutale, Prince Mumba, Patrick Gondwe, John Chishimba, and Jimmy Mukeya among others. Zambia plays the Taifa Stars this evening in a Group E FIFA World Cup qualifier in Zanzibar at the Amani Stadium. Kick off is set for 21h00 CAT.
Zambia U17 National team coach Dennis Makinka has named a 44 member provisional squad to start preparations for the 2025 U17 World Cup. The players are expected to go into camp today in Lusaka in readiness for the World Cup next month. Atletico Lusaka forward Abel Salim Nyirongo and captain Jonathan Kalimina lead the squad summoned. Danish based Alinani Sichinga, Aston Villa academy player Kachinga Siame and Uchinvyo Mulindwa Kaziya have all received first call ups to the Young Chipolopolo squad. 2024 COSAFA winners Robert ‘Sugar Sugar’ Banda, Mapalo Simute, James Nene Sibeene, Nkotami Chimwemwe and Mike Mutale have all made the cut. The assemblage consisting of local and foreign- based players will be in camp today until the 20th of October before shifting base to Dubai. While in Dubai, the boys will be expected to play 3 friendlies before moving to Qatar on the 31st of October in time for kickoff of the first fixture in group H. Zambia is in group H with Brazil, Honduras and Indonesia and will have the first match with Indonesia on November 4 before taking on Honduras on November 7. Zambia’s final group stage match in this 48 -team tournament will be against Brazil on November 10 and all the three matches will be played in Doha. The 44 lads called to the team are: GOAL KEEPERS Rogers Simumba (Shamuel), William Zulu (Athletico Lusaka), Christo Chitambala (Red Arrows), Wiseman Nkumbu Nyirenda (Billy Pro Sports Club) DEFENDERS Levyson Banda (Superiad Ndola), Sianchongwe (Kalomo), Nelson Chilemu, Jonathan Moomba Kalimina (Kafue Celtics),Felix Phiri (Athletico Lusaka), Chola Mwansa (Young Crocs),Bright Phiri, Handson Chulu (Kuku Dynamos), James Nene Sibeene, Martin Tumbwe (Sporting Lusaka), Chimuka, Fredrick Ngululu (Russia),Mwape Andrew (Metro Stars Soccer Academy), Pablo Ndalama (Young Zesco) MIDFIELDERS Russell Kalumbeta, Temwani Simfukwe, Robert Banda (Athletico Lusaka), Nthasilwe Malupande, Caleb Bupe Chabala, Nelson Chilemu (Kafue Celtics), Christopher Mwakajila (Mungwi Hotspurs), Joseph Chizawu, Daniel Silubonde, Steven Lungu (Morkved Sportsklubb), Gabriel Phiri (NAPSA),Bongani Ndhlovu (Metro Stars Soccer Academy), Vincent Mutondo, Nkotami Chimwemwe (Lumwana Radiants),Mapalo Simute (Mkushi Rising Stars), Kelvin Mulenga Chipelu (Forest Rangers), Mike Bwalya Mutale (Makeni All Stars), Albert Kunda (Demofracy Ndola), Felix Phiri (Lusaka Youth) STRIKERS Kachinga Dickson Siame (Aston Villa),Uchinvyo Mulindwa Kaziya (New Brunswick High Performance Academy),Lucas Theodore Daka (Reading Football Club), Caleb Musonda, Nthasilwe Malupande (Kafue Celtics), Alinani Nicolas Sichinga (HIK Copenhagen – Denmark), Abel Salim Nyirongo, William Zulu, Russell Kalumbeta (Athletico Lusaka), Billy Daka (Nkwazi Football Club)
Chipolopolo boss Avram says his team does not want to keep making mistakes that have cost them in the past. The Copper Bullets will face off with the Taifa Stars on Wednesday in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Grant, who was speaking at a pre match press conference said despite not having enough time to prepare his team wants to win tomorrow in Zanzibar. Grant wants the Chipolopolo to win their last two games in the World Cup qualifiers and not worry about calculations for World Cup qualification. “As you know, the international window started yesterday and the game is tomorrow. We have players from Zambia, but also we have players from other places. They played two days ago, so they had a flight to arrive this morning. So we don’t have time to plan, but we want to win,” he said. “I don’t know if we don’t have a chance, but we have a chance to be second place. But we still need to win these two games, against Tanzania and against Niger. And we will do our best. We don’t think, we don’t calculate after. It’s part of the winning mentality. We did a good process in Zambia in the last two and a half years. We qualified two times to the Africa Cup. We had, I don’t like this word, but we had a little bit of bad luck in the qualification to the World Cup. We wanted to qualify for the first time in the history of Zambia. But I’m sure if we continue this process, Zambia will qualify for sure.” But for the moment, we have two tough games. We need to talk about these games, try to win. And then you can make any calculation that you want. I think in football, like in life, it’s part of the game. I can say it’s learning,” he added. Zambia lost to Tanzania in the reverse fixture but Grant believes his team were unlucky not to get anything out of the game after having 17 shots and failing to get a goal. Grant feels the mistake leading to the goal is one of the things his side needs to stop and not do ever again as they aim to turn around their dwindling fortunes. “We made mistakes, for sure. We made bad mistakes, if I can say. But we want to learn from this. We spoke about this. And I’m sure that we will not make these mistakes again. Because these were similar mistakes in the last two games like against Tanzania and we don’t want to do it again. But as you know, part of football is mistakes. Unfortunately, in the last game against Zambia, we made a very big mistake. It was 1-0, And then we had 17 attempts on the goal. We didn’t score and we lost the game. And Tanzania fought like crazy,” he said. Zambia plays the Taifa Stars tomorrow in a Group E FIFA World Cup qualifier in Zanzibar at the Amani Stadium. kick off is set for 21h00 CAT.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has appointed former Nkwazi boss Dennis Makinka as the new head coach for the World Cup bound Zambia U17 National team. Makinka who was assistant to Ian Bakala takes charge of the team and will be assisted by former Chipolopolo midfielder William Njobvu. Chipolopolo legend Charles Musonda will maintain his position as Technical Advisor for the Junior Chipolopolo. “The Football Association of Zambia has appointed Dennis Makinka as under 17 boys national team coach.” FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande confirmed the appointment of Makinka to FAZ Media. Shepande has also announced that former Chipolopolo midfielder William Njovu will assist Makinka while Charles Musonda will be retained as technical adviser. Machacha explains that Makinka will now lead the junior Chipolopolo at the FIFA U17 World Cup.