![]() Logo since 2019 | |
Organising body | FAZ |
---|---|
Founded | 2007 |
Region | Zambia |
Number of teams | 8 teams (6 from Super League and 2 from National Division One) |
Current champions | Red Arrows [1] |
Most successful team(s) | ZESCO United F.C (6 titles) |
Television broadcasters | SuperSport |
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The ABSA Cup, formerly the Barclays Cup, is the current branding for an association football cup competition launched in 2007 by the Football Association of Zambia. [2] [3] [4]
Participants are decided half-way through current season (match day 17) [5] and are picked from the two highest divisions in Zambia. Since the inaugural season of National Division One in the 2019–20 season, 2 teams are picked from that division and 6 are from the Super League to enter the competition each year. [6]
Following the full acquisition of the assets and operations of Barclays in Africa, [7] including Zambia, [8] by South Africa-based ABSA (now Absa Group Limited) in 2018, the competition's next edition in 2019 was rebranded as the Absa Cup. [9]
The video assistant referee (VAR) was introduced to the competition and implemented on a pilot basis at the final of the 2023 edition, [10] [11] a first in Zambian football and Sub-Saharan African football as a whole. Thus, this put Zambia on the list as the 3rd African country after Morocco and Egypt to introduce and implement VAR in domestic football matches. [12] Head of referees at FAZ, Aziph Banda, cited the inadequacy of FIFA-certified referees to operate the VAR, with female referee Diana Chikotesha being the only exception having previously experienced its usage at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations and Janny Sikazwe having retired as the reason why the association appointed foreign referees solely for that final. [13]
As Barclays Cup | |||
---|---|---|---|
2007 | ZESCO United | 0–0 (aet, 4–2 pen.) | Chambishi |
2008 | ZESCO United | 1–0 | Power Dynamos |
2009 | Power Dynamos | 2–1 | Green Buffaloes |
2010 | ZESCO United | 2–0 | Zanaco |
2011 | Power Dynamos | 2–1 | Konkola Blades |
2012 | NAPSA Stars | 4–4 (a.e.t., 4–2 pen.) | Power Dynamos |
2013 | Red Arrows | 3–1 | Nchanga Rangers |
2014 | ZESCO United | 3–0 | Nkana |
2015 | Green Buffaloes | 2-0 | Nkwazi |
2016 | ZESCO United | 1–0 | Zanaco |
2017 | Zanaco | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | NAPSA Stars |
2018 | Nkana | 3–0 | Young Buffaloes |
As Absa Cup | |||
2019 | ZESCO United | 4–1 | Zanaco |
2020 | Cancelled | Due to | the COVID-19 pandemic in Zambia [14] |
2021 | Lusaka Dynamos | 0–0 (3–1 pen.) | ZESCO United |
2022 | Napsa Stars | 1-0 [15] | Red Arrows |
2023 | Forest Rangers | 2–0 | Maestro United Zambia |
2024 | Red Arrows | 2–1 | Kabwe Warriors |
Zanaco FC is a Zambian football club based in Lusaka that plays in the MTN/FAZ Super Division. They play their home games at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka. Zanaco Football Club was formed in 1972 as a social team by management trainees of Zambia National Commercial Bank. The team was launched at LOTUS INN in Lusaka. The founding members were Lloyd Choongo, Ben Banda, Nathan Lupupa and John Kasengele. Starting from the 1980s, Zanaco started growing steadily from a mere social club to becoming one of the most successful and decorated club in Zambian football history. Over the years the Sunset Stadium-based team has won 4 Super League trophies, 4 Charity Shields, 1 Coca-Cola Cup, 1 Mosi Cup and 3 BP Cups. Zanaco are the only team outside of Zambia's Copperbelt Province to have not only won but also defended the Super League Trophy.
Nkana FC is a football club based in Kitwe, Zambia. The football team competes in the MTN Super League, the top division of Zambian football. Nkana FC has won 13 League titles, making it Zambia's most successful league club, and second overall behind Mufulira Wanderers, with 52 trophies. They play their home games at Nkana Stadium in Wusakile, Kitwe.
The Zambia Super League, known as the MTN Super League for sponsorship purposes, is the top association football league created in 1962 by the Football Association of Zambia. The winners of the league each season receive ZMW1,000,000 ($40000) and a copper trophy engraved with their team name.
Red Arrows Football Club is a Zambian football club based in Lusaka that plays in the MTN/FAZ Super Division. They play home games at Nkoloma Stadium in Chelstone, Lusaka.
Absa Bank Zambia Plc, formerly Barclays Bank of Zambia, is a commercial bank in Zambia. It is licensed by the Bank of Zambia, the central bank and national banking regulator.
Patson Daka is a Zambian professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Leicester City and the Zambia national team.
The Zambian Charity Shield officially called Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield since 2003 is a season opener match between the champions of the previous Super League season and the holders of the ABSA Cup. If the Super League champions also won the ABSA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition. The fixture was first played in the 1967 season. The current holders are Zesco United, who defeated Lusaka Dynamos 4-0 in the 2021 match.
The Zambian National Division One is the second highest football division for men in Zambia and was introduced for the 2019/20 season with 18 teams. The league is administered by Zambian Premier League and is because of sponsorship reasons called Eden University National Division One League, as Eden University and FAZ signed a five year's agreement prior the inaugural season. The league operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Zambia Super League and Zambian Division One, and is played over 34 games.
The FAZ Women Super Division is the highest league of women's football in Zambia. It was established in the beginning of 2021 and is run by FAZ. The inaugural season featured 12 teams from four provinces in Zambia. The super division replaced the 4 regional women's leagues as the highest level of women's football in Zambia, while the regional leagues dropped to the second tier. In November 2022 a new nationalwide division one was created, serving as the second tier and dropping the regional leagues to the third tier.
The 2021 ABSA Cup was the 14th edition of the annual knock-out competition in Zambian football contested by teams from its top tiers and the second to be sponsored by Absa Group Limited following its completed acquisition of the African assets and operations of Barclays in 2018.
The 2020 Zambian Charity Shield was the 55th edition of the Charity Shield, that took place on 24 October 2020 in Kitwe, Zambia. The annual football match is played between the winners of the Super League and the ABSA Cup. However, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 ABSA Cup did not take place. Consequently, the Football Association of Zambia had to select the winners of the second-tier league champions, Indeni, to participate in the event.
The 2021 Zambian Charity Shield was the 56th Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Super League Zesco United and ABSA Cup Lusaka Dynamos. The match was set to be played on 21 August and was later postponed to 28 August at Woodlands stadium. Nkana were the defending champions as winners of the 2020 Zambia Charity Shield, but did not qualify for this edition, as they failed to win either the Super League or the ABSA Cup. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the match was played behind closed doors and televised live on Supersport 229, Variety 4 and GOtv Zambia platform. Zesco won the match 4–0, Zesco's club record scorer Jesse Jackson scored brace while Edward Lungu and Mukaka Chanda scored one goal each. The funds raised during the match will be given to St Lawrence Home for Vulnerable Children.
The 2023 Absa Cup was the 16th edition of the annual knock-out competition in Zambian football contested by the top 6 teams from the Super League and the top 2 teams from the National Division One following the conclusion of match day 17 of the 2022–23 season. It was also the 4th edition under the "Absa Cup" name following Absa's completed acquisition of the African assets and operations of Barclays in 2018.
Maestro United Zambia Football Club or simply MUZA FC is a professional football club based in Mazabuka, Zambia. The club was founded in 2007 as Manchester United Zambian Academy Football Club and was later renamed Maestro United Zambia Academy Football Club in 2019. The club was established by Lusaka lawmaker Keith Bebeto Mweemba.
The 2023 ABSA Cup final was an association football match played at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, Zambia on May 27, 2022. This highly anticipated match marked the debut appearance in the final for both Forest Rangers and Maestro United. The event was organized by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and represented the 17th final of the annual knock-out competition in Zambian football. The tournament involved six teams from the Super League and the top two teams from the National Division One, following the conclusion of match day 17 of the 2022–23 season. Notably, this final also marked the fourth occasion that the competition was held under the ABSA Cup name. The match stood out as a groundbreaking moment for Zambian football, as it became the first-ever competitive game in the country to feature video assistant referee (VAR) technology. This milestone not only marked Zambia's introduction to VAR but also established the nation as the pioneer of VAR implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Remarkably, Zambia joined the ranks of Morocco and Egypt as one of the only three African countries to successfully integrate VAR into their domestic matches.
The 2023 Zambian Charity Shield was the 58th Charity Shield match, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Super League and the ABSA Cup winners. The Charity Shield match acts as the dress rehearsal for the Super League season. The match was played by Power Dynamos the league champions of the 2022/23 season and Forest Rangers winners of the 2023 ABSA Cup tournament. The match began with an early breakthrough as Andy Boyeli of Power Dynamos netted a goal in the 14th minute, setting an energetic tempo. Forest Rangers won the match as they mounted an impressive comeback with their direct style of play. Despite Boyeli's initial goal for Aba Yellow, Forest Rangers responded with goals from Libamba, Simusokwe, and Chishimba, clinching a 3-1 victory.
Trident Football Club, is a Zambian football club that competes since summer 2023 for the first time in the Zambia Super League. Founded in 2015, the club is based in the North Western region of Zambia and has steadily risen in prominence over recent years. Trident F.C. earned its position in the Zambia Super League following a successful campaign during the 2022/2023 FAZ National Division One League, where they clinched the championship with an impressive tally of 62 points. In March 2023 Trident FC reached for the first time the semi-finals of ABSA Cup with a 1–0 win against the Green Eagles thanks to a late Peter Musukuma goal.
Tresford Lawrence Mulenga is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Power Dynamos and the Zambia national team.
The 2024–25 Zambia Super League, known as the MTN Super League for sponsorship purposes, is the 63rd season of the top-tier association football league in Zambia, which is set to begin 17 August 2024. Red Arrows are the defending champions.
The 2024 Absa Cup was the 17th edition of the annual knock-out competition in Zambian football contested by 10 provincial representatives the top 7 teams from the Super League and the top 4 teams from the National Division One following the conclusion of match day 17 of the 2022–23 season. It was also the 5th edition under the "Absa Cup" name following Absa's completed acquisition of the African assets and operations of Barclays in 2018.