The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has strengthened the Copper Queens’ technical bench ahead of their crucial two-legged 2028 Olympic qualifying tie against Uganda.
FAZ General Secretary Charles Chakatazya confirmed that ZESCO Ndola Girls head coach Florence Mwila and the club’s technical adviser Wisdom Zulu have joined interim head coach Charles Haalubono’s technical team as first and second assistant coaches respectively.
The appointments take immediate effect and will cover the upcoming Olympic qualifiers.
Mwila brings considerable experience to the role, having previously served as assistant coach to the late Copper Queens head coach Bruce Mwape. She also guided Zambia to the 2024 COSAFA Women’s Championship title on an interim basis, becoming the first female coach to lead the Copper Queens to the regional crown.
The experienced coach is currently in charge of Zambia’s Under-20 women’s national team.
“The FAZ Technical Committee has appointed coaches Florence Mwila and Wisdom Zulu on an interim basis to assist interim coach Charles Haalubono in preparing the Copper Queens for the two-legged Olympic qualifier against Uganda,” Chakatazya said.
Zulu, meanwhile, joins the national team setup from ZESCO Ndola Girls, where he serves as technical adviser.
The Copper Queens will travel to Kampala for the first leg on 8 October, before hosting Uganda in the return fixture at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on 13 October.
The tie represents another important step in Zambia’s bid to reach the Olympic Games for a third consecutive time.
Zambia made their Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games and subsequently qualified for Paris 2024, where they were drawn in a group alongside the United States, Germany and Australia.
FAZ said it would continue to support the interim technical bench as the Copper Queens pursue another appearance on the Olympic stage.
The association has also called on supporters and football stakeholders to rally behind the all-local technical team ahead of the two decisive encounters with Uganda.
