The Zambia Women’s National team head coach Nora Elizabeth Häuptle has named a 26 member squad for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
ZESCO Ndola Girls in-form forward Eneless Phiri has made the squad alongside Green Buffaloes Women’s Football Club young defender Margaret Gondwe.
Susan Banda and Hellen Banda have made the cut while Natasha Nanyangwe missed out.
Skipper Barbra Banda leads the squad alongside fellow regulars Rachel Kundananji, Grace Chanda, Ireen Lungu, Lushomo Mweemba, Kabange Mupopo and Hazel Nali.
Assistant coach Charles Haalubono announced the Copper Queens squad on behalf of the head coach at a press conference held at Football House on Monday afternoon.
Zambia will leave for Algeria on Tuesday evening for their final phase of preparations for the continental showpiece.
The 2022 WAFCON bronze medalists will depart for Algeria at 21h00 via Qatar and are expected to be in North Africa on Wednesday. They will set up a two week camp.
The COSAFA giants will play two friendly games in Algeria and then go on a chartered flight straight into Morocco. The two friendly games against Algeria will be played on July 19 and 22 before the two teams jet out to Morocco on the same flight.
At WAFCON, the Copper Queens have been drawn in Group C alongside defending champions Nigeria women’s national football team, regional rivals Malawi women’s national football team and Egypt women’s national football team.
The tournament will run from 26 July to 16 August in Morocco and will also serve as a qualifier for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with four automatic qualification places available for African teams.
The top four teams at the WAFCON will qualify to the Brazil 2027 FIFA World Cup that will be staged in July/August.
FULL SQUAD;
(GOALKEEPERS)
Chishala Mfunte (Green Buffaloes), Catherine Musonda (Red Arrows), Hazel Nali (Zesco Ndola Girls)
(DEFENDERS)
Margaret Belemu (Red Arrows), Margaret Gondwe, Rachael Nachula (both Green Buffaloes), Blessing Maluba (Nchanga Queens), Siomala Mapepa (Altaraji Club-Saudi Arabia), Saliya Mwanza, Lushomo Mweemba, Martha Tembo (both Hakkarigucu Spor-Turkey)
(MIDFIELDERS)
Susan Banda (Red Arrows), Grace Chanda (Queretaro-Mexico), Hellen Chanda (Eastern Flames-Saudi Arabia), Rhodah Chileshe (Indeni), Avell Chitundu (Zesco Ndola Girls), Evarine Katongo (Ra’anana Women’s FC-Israel), Ireen Lungu (Sichua-China)
(STRIKERS)
Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride-USA), Prisca Chilufya (Angel City-USA), Mercy Chipasula, Eneless Phiri (both Zesco Ndola Girls), Rachael Kundananji (Bay FC-USA), Fridah Mukoma (Beijing Jingstan-China), Kabange Mupopo (Liaoning Shenbel Hefeng-China), Ochuma Oseke (Quanzhou Naan-China
