Zambia’s Under-20 men’s national team have arrived in Mozambique ahead of the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) COSAFA Qualifier.
The Junior Chipolopolo touched down in Mozambique on Wednesday evening as they begin their preparations for the regional tournament, which runs from 18 to 27 September.
Coach Perry Mutapa has named a 26-member squad for the competition, with Zambia drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Comoros and Botswana.
Zambia are the record 12-time COSAFA Under-20 champions and will be looking to reclaim the regional title for the first time since 2022.
The Junior Chipolopolo will also be aiming to extend their record to 13 titles when the tournament gets underway.
Mutapa’s side have been fine-tuning their preparations in Zambia through a series of practice matches as the coach assessed his squad and worked on areas ahead of the competition.
The 12 participating teams have been divided into three groups of four.
Hosts Mozambique are in Group A with Mauritius, Namibia and Seychelles, while Group B features South Africa, Angola, Lesotho and Eswatini.
Zambia will begin their Group C campaign against Malawi before facing Comoros and Botswana.
The group winners and the best-performing teams will progress in accordance with the tournament regulations.
With the squad now in Mozambique, Mutapa will have the opportunity to make final preparations before Zambia’s opening fixture as they target a return to the top of the regional competition.
