The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has appointed Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe as head coach of the Zambia Under-23 national team.
Mbewe will lead the team in preparations for the 2027 Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Zambia handed a second-round tie against either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso.
He will be assisted by Numba Mumamba as first assistant coach, George Chilufya as second assistant and Kalililo Kakonje as goalkeeper coach.
The technical bench also includes former Zambia international Chintu Kampamba as physical coach, while Given Singuluma, the 2009 CHAN Golden Boot winner, has been appointed equipment manager.
Mumba Mwila will serve as team manager, with Ndaba Sipuke as team doctor, Nimrod Musongwa as physiotherapist, Luka Kaunda as video analyst and Nchimunya Mwila as security manager.
Mbewe previously coached Zambia’s Under-20 side and guided the team to qualification for the 2023 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt. He has also served within the national youth setup at Under-15 level.
FAZ general secretary Charles Chakatazya said the appointments followed a rigorous selection process and that the new technical bench had been tasked with securing qualification for both the U23 AFCON and the 2028 Olympic Games.
“The appointments have been made after a rigorous exercise that saw FAZ pick some of the best local coaching talents,” Chakatazya said.
“Mbewe has been part of the Zambian youth system for some time, having served as U15 and U20 coach over the years, and knows his way around the current generation of players.
“He will be assisted by an equally competent ensemble of local coaches that we have tasked to firstly qualify to the U23 AFCON and subsequently the Olympics in 2028.”
Zambia will enter the U23 AFCON qualifiers at the second-round stage, with the first leg scheduled for 9 November and the return leg eight days later.
The country’s most recent appearance in the U23 AFCON qualifiers came in 2019, when Beston Chambeshi’s side qualified for the tournament in Egypt but exited in the first round.
Zambia U23 technical bench
- Head coach: Chisi Mbewe
- First assistant coach: Numba Mumamba
- Second assistant coach: George Chilufya
- Goalkeeper coach: Kalililo Kakonje
- Physical coach: Chintu Kampamba
- Video analyst: Luka Kaunda
- Team manager: Mumba Mwila
- Team doctor: Ndaba Sipuke
- Physiotherapist: Nimrod Musongwa
- Equipment manager: Given Singuluma
- Security manager: Nchimunya Mwila
