Several clubs in the ZPL Men’s National League have written to the Zambian Premier League (ZPL) and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) requesting the immediate expulsion of Mpulungu Harbour FC from the league, the ZamFoot Crew understands.
The clubs are calling for decisive action after Mpulungu Harbour repeatedly failed to travel for away fixtures, raising concerns over the integrity of the competition.
The ZPL recently confirmed the forfeiture of five fixtures involving the Northern Province side. In a statement, the league announced that Ndola United, Aguila Stars, Roan United, Lumwana Radiants and Locus FC had each been awarded three points and a standard 3–0 victory following Mpulungu Harbour’s failure to honour the scheduled fixtures.
Sources close to the club indicate that persistent financial challenges are at the heart of Mpulungu Harbour’s inability to fulfil their away matches. Logistical constraints — particularly travel and operational costs — are understood to have severely disrupted the club’s campaign.
In January, Mpulungu Harbour confirmed that their National League slot had been placed on the market as the club searched for financial relief.
According to league rules and regulations, a team that concedes three walkovers is liable to expulsion, with results voided if the team has not yet played half of its fixtures. However, if a team has already completed at least half of its matches, the league may opt to award points to opponents for the reverse fixtures or implement another administratively convenient solution.
This presents a significant complication for the ZPL, as several teams had already travelled to Mpulungu, played their matches and secured results. Voiding those outcomes could disadvantage clubs that invested resources to honour their fixtures.
With the season entering a decisive phase, the league now faces the delicate task of protecting the integrity of the competition while ensuring adherence to its statutes. Whatever decision the ZPL makes is likely to have a direct impact on the standings, and the Zambian football fraternity will be watching closely.
