Zambia’s Copper Queens will face FIFA Women’s World Cup-bound Denmark in an international friendly in December as they step up preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers.
The match will be played on 5 December 2026 at 14:00 local time in Esbjerg, Denmark.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) general secretary Charles Chakatazya said the fixture underlined the growing international interest in the Copper Queens.
“We are excited as FAZ that we continue to attract top-level invitations for international friendly matches, which shows great confidence and respect for the Copper Queens across the globe,” Chakatazya said.
Denmark are using the fixture as part of their preparations for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, while Zambia will use the match to maintain momentum ahead of their Olympic qualifying campaign.
“Denmark is looking to experience African opposition as part of the preparations for the FIFA World Cup next year in Brazil,” Chakatazya added.
“For us, this will help us keep our team engaged, especially with qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in motion.”
Denmark head coach Jakob Michelsen also welcomed the opportunity to face Zambia, saying the fixture would provide valuable preparation against opposition from outside Europe.
“The two upcoming camps give us the chance to test ourselves against national teams from other parts of the world before the World Cup in Brazil kicks off,” Michelsen said.
“We are therefore delighted that, following our trip to Canada in October, we can host Zambia in Esbjerg this December, where we hope to see plenty of red-and-white fans.”
The Copper Queens are currently preparing for their first-round Olympic qualifier against Uganda, with the tie scheduled to be played over two legs between 5 and 13 [month to be confirmed].
FAZ says the Denmark fixture is part of its plans to rebuild the Copper Queens following their disappointing recent WAFCON campaign, which ended their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Chakatazya said the team would now turn its attention to new targets, with the Olympic qualifying campaign the immediate priority.
“This is part of our plan to regenerate the Copper Queens after the recent slumps at the WAFCON which extinguished our World Cup dream,” he said.
“The Denmark friendly is an opportunity to set our sights on new targets.”
The Copper Queens will therefore have a high-profile test against Denmark before continuing their pursuit of a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
