FAZ President Andrew Kamanga has urged the corporate world to take advantage of the opportunities created by the world cup appearance to invest in sponsorship of the game.
The FAZ Women’s Super League and The National Division One have no sponsorship as things stand despite the majority of the players that are at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup coming from the local league.
Kamanga also went on to emphasise the importance of capacity building and investing in personnel (coaches) handling Women’s Football.
“It now remains our hope that going forward we will see a lot of support from the corporate world to invest as well as partner with FAZ to get a broadcast partner as well as a headline sponsor for women’s football,” Kamanga told FAZ Media.
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND – JULY 22: FIFA President Gianni Infantino with (L-R) FIFA Vice-President and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, President of the Football Association of Zambia Andrew Kamanga and FIFA Council Member and President of the Japan Football Association Kohzo Tashima during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Zambia and Japan at Waikato Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Hamilton / Kirikiriroa, New Zealand. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/FIFA) 
HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND – JULY 22: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) and President of the Football Association of Zambia Andrew Kamanga during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Zambia and Japan at Waikato Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Hamilton / Kirikiriroa, New Zealand. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/FIFA)
“We have reached a point where we are not going to look back, we just have to continue investing in capacity building, we have invested a lot in training women coaches, through CAF we will have a CAF A Course for women, and we expect that those who are exceptional will also be given an opportunity to go for further training and get the CAF Pro licence.”
“So, for us the only way we are going to sustain what we have achieved is to even work harder because suddenly we have put a marker that achieving a world cup qualification is now a minimum. So, we expect that going forward the team will also do well and qualify for the Olympics 2024, we also have the Africa Cup coming up. We expect that the team will also qualify for the 2027 World Cup, so our work is already cut out,” he added.
Kamanga continued:”I think what is key is to make sure that we get as much money into women’s football as possible as we have tried with the men.”
The Copper Queens are playing at their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup after finishing third at the 2022 WAFCON.
Zambia lost their opening two games at the tournament, 5-0 to 2011 winners Japan and European giants Spain to end their campaign prematurely.
The team will conclude their World Cup adventure with a dead rubber against Costa Rica on Monday.
