Zambia’s Copper Princesses will face China in an international friendly as part of their final preparations for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The match will be played in Rabat on 9 October, eight days before the tournament gets underway.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) General Secretary Charles Chakatazya said the fixture would give Zambia valuable preparation against Asian opposition ahead of their Group D meeting with Japan.
“As part of the Copper Princesses’ preparations for the World Cup, we have secured a high-profile friendly against China to give the girls a taste of Asian football,” Chakatazya said.
“As you know, we have Japan in Group D and so the friendly will help the girls a lot.”
The Copper Princesses have already begun preparations for the tournament, with head coach Carol Kanyemba’s technical bench entering camp early to provide the players with an extended period of preparation.
FAZ is also working to secure two further international friendlies against teams from Europe and South America, with Zambia set to face France and Venezuela in Group D.
Zambia will be making a third consecutive appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, having reached the Round of 16 at the 2025 edition.
Chakatazya said FAZ would provide the team with the necessary support as they prepare for another appearance on the global stage.
“This team is going to the World Cup for the third consecutive time, having reached the Round of 16 at the 2025 edition,” he said.
“As FAZ, we will do everything possible to give the Carol Kanyemba-led technical bench the necessary support to prepare the team adequately and compete at the highest level.”
The 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Morocco on 17 October, with Zambia drawn in Group D alongside Japan, France and Venezuela.
