Zambia have been handed a second-round tie against either Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Zambia were exempted from the opening round and will enter the competition at the second-round stage, with the first leg scheduled for 9 November and the return leg to be played eight days later.
The draw, conducted in Cairo on Tuesday, also mapped out a potential route to the final qualifying round, where Zambia could face the winners of a tie involving Nigeria and either Mauritania or DR Congo.
The third round is scheduled to begin on 22 March 2027, with the return legs set for 30 March.
The 2027 U23 AFCON will also serve as the qualifying tournament for the 2028 Olympic Games men’s football tournament in Los Angeles.
Zambia have not featured at the Olympic Games in men’s football since Seoul 1988, while their most recent appearance at the U23 AFCON came in 2019, when Egypt hosted the tournament.
The top-performing nations at the 2027 U23 AFCON will earn qualification to the 2028 Olympic Games.
