The Football Association of Zambia has described 2023 as their best year so far as it was marked with a number of achievements.
FAZ President Andrew Kamanga who was speaking at an end of year media interaction in Lusaka on Wednesday pointed to the Copper Queens appearance at the World Cup as their highlight of the year.
Kamanga was elated that majority of the team’s including the Zambia U-20 men’s side, the U17 and the senior men’s side all qualified to their respective Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
The FAZ Supremo was also quick to mention that the regret for Football house was that the U23 failed to qualify to their continental showpiece.
“The U17, the U20, and senior men’s side all qualified to their AFCON and the Women’s have also qualified and hopefully early next year we may get the women qualifying and going back to represent us at the Olympics for a second time in a row that is also a target,” Kamanga said.
“Most importantly the highlight for us in 2023 has been the Women participating in the World Cup and so we hope that in the same breath we will get the men to qualify to the 2026 World Cup.”
The Copper Queens made their maiden appearance at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Chipolopolo Boys also made their return to the Africa Cup of Nations after a seven year absence.
The U17 also made their second appearance at the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations but were eliminated in the group stage.
The U-20 National Team also returned to the Continental showpiece for the first time since winning the tournament back in 2017.
