The 2024/2025 Carling Black Label Charity Shield has been launched as the Zambian Premier League season kick off date draws near.
The Minister of Sports Honourable Elvis Nkandu was the Guest of honour at the colourful event held at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lusaka.
The 2024/2025 Carling Black Label Charity Shield will see League winners, Red Arrows take on ABSA Cup runners up, Kabwe Warriors at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Prior to the main event, a curtain raiser involving a Women’s game will take off with Green Buffaloes WFC the winners of the Women’s Super Division taking on the winners of the National Division One, Choma Warriors.
In his speech, The Minister urged companies to emulate Zambian Breweries.
“To Zambian Breweries and other corporate partners, as a ministry through the NSCZ, we can only encourage you to even grow the partnerships more but only after sports bodies come up with worthwhile value propositions, so that value for money is attained.
We urge other corporates to emulate Zambian Breweries and come on board to support the development of football in Zambia. I am aware that there are plans to launch new cup competitions this year,” he said.
“This development is a huge step in encouraging teams to compete for silverware. We urge other corporates to come on board to introduce more cup competitions in the Zambia Premier League.
To the media we encourage you to always promote value addition by working closely with the rightful stakeholders,” he added.
Zambian Premier League CEO Joseph Chimpampwe said this year the Charity shield will have events lined up around it to make it a family affair.
“This year we intend to line up other activities to make it a family atmosphere. We want it to attract new fans to Zambian Super League games,” Chimpampwe said.
Zambian Breweries Head of Marketing Thelma Kaonga revealed that the company has pumped in K281,000 towards the game, K200,000 in prize money and sports kit worth K125,000.
Zambian Breweries has also renewed their support to the Zambian Premier League with a package worth 3.37 Million for the new season.
“At Zambian Breweries we are deeply committed to promoting gender equality and diversity in Sport because we believe both men and women have unique strengths, talent and perspective to offer.
By featuring the Women’s teams as curtain raisers, we aim to support and highlight the tremendous growth and potential of women’s football in Zambia, as well as their overall contribution to the game,” Kaonga said.
“We believe that sport should be inclusive and provide equal opportunities for all, and are therefore excited to witness the development of women’s football and see it flourish alongside men’s football.”
The FAZ General Secretary, Reuben Kamanga thanked Zambian Breweries for their continued support and also called on other partners to come on board.
“I wish to thank Zambian Breweries for its continued support of the game. The three-year sponsorship of the Carling Black Label Samuel Zoom Ndhovu Charity Shield has helped restore the respectability of the over six decades long championship. We are particularly happy that Zambian Breweries has not shut the door for other partners who wish to come on board in terms of sponsorship,” he said.
“There are enough opportunities in the game for more sponsors to take advantage of. So far, the Zambian Premier League has hit the ground running with exploring many sponsorship avenues. A big congratulations to the ZPL and Zambian Breweries for this partnership which exemplifies what was envisaged 14-years ago when members mooted the idea.”
This year again the fans will pick the players who will start in the Charity Shield, Zambian Breweries revealed. A portal will be created for the fans to pick their preferred starting lineups.
The 2024/2025 Carling Black Label Charity Shield will take place on 10th August at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
