Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. Its neighbours are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique to the southeast, Zimbabwe and Botswana to the south, Namibia to the southwest, and Angola to the west. The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia. The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the north, the core economic hubs of the country.
The Zambia national football team represents Zambia in association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). During the 1980s, they were known as the KK 11, after founding president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda ("KK") who ruled Zambia from 1964 to 1991. After the country adopted multiparty politics, the side was nicknamed Chipolopolo which means the "Copper Bullets". The team won an Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012. This team has also become the only most successful team in the COSAFA Cup, surpassing Zimbabwe after winning the 2023 edition.
The Lesotho national football team represents Lesotho in men's international football and is governed by the Lesotho Football Association. The team's nickname is "Likuena" (Crocodiles). The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals and the Africa Cup of Nations finals in history. The team is a member of both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Kalusha Bwalya is a Zambian former professional footballer. He is Zambia's eighth-most capped player and third on the list of all-time top goalscorers behind Godfrey Chitalu and Alex Chola. Kalusha was named African Footballer of the Year in 1988 by the magazine France Football and was nominated for the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year where he was voted the 12th-best player in the world, the first to be nominated after playing the entire year for a non-European club.
The Football Association of Zambia is the governing body of association football in Zambia founded in 1929 and based at the "Football House" on Alick Nkhata Road in Lusaka, the country's capital.
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 1978 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 7 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.
Francis Kasonde is a Zambian professional footballer who plays for Mufulira Wanderers. Kasonde mainly plays as a centre-back but also can play as a defensive midfielder or as a right-back.
Rainford Kalaba is a former Zambian professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Linafoot club TP Mazembe.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Zambia:
Hervé Jean-Marie Roger Renard is a French professional football coach and former player who is the manager of the France women's national team.
On the evening of 27 April 1993, a DHC-5 Buffalo transport aircraft of the Zambian Air Force crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Libreville, Gabon. The flight was carrying most of the Zambian national football team to a 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Senegal in Dakar. All 25 passengers and five crew members were killed. The official investigation concluded that the pilot had shut down the wrong engine following an engine fire. It also found that pilot fatigue and a faulty instrument had contributed to the accident.
The sport of football in the country of Zambia is run by the Football Association of Zambia. The association administers the national male and female teams, as well as the Premier League, and the Women Super Division. 1993 Zambia national football team air disaster is considered one of the most signification moments in Zambian football.
The Zambia women's national association football team represents Zambia in association football, participating in qualifying tournaments for the FIFA Women's World Cup and other African-based competitions. They made their debut in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, becoming the first landlocked nation in Africa to qualify for a senior World Cup in either men's or women's football. However, they were eliminated during the group stage of the tournament.
Zambia women's national under-17 football team, nicknamed the Junior She-polopolo, represents the country in international under-17 matches. The team has participated in FIFA sanctioned events, including U-17 World Cup qualifiers.
Zambia women's national under-20 football team, the Young She-polopolo, represents the country in international U20 competitions. The team, originally a U19 national team until 2006, has competed in the African Women U-19 Championship qualifying competition and the African qualifying competitions for the FIFA U19/U20 World Cup. Because of local conditions related to the whole of women's football on the continent, the team faces challenges for improving their performance.
Green Eagles Football Club is a Zambian football club based in Choma, Zambia that plays in the MTN/FAZ Super Division. The club finished the 2016 season in 11th place. There has been notable resurgence by the club, which has shifted the power balance of elite football in Zambia. The Choma-based club have transformed themselves from relegation candidates to title contenders – thanks to the support by their sponsors Zambia National Service (ZNS), focused leadership at the service and the tactics employed by Head Coach Aggrey Chiyangi, who has deservingly served as Chipolopolo care-taker coach.
The Zambia National U-17 Football team is the U-17 football team for Zambia founded in 1929. The team, also known as the Junior Chipolpolo, represents the country in international under-17 matches and is controlled by the Football Association of Zambia. In 2016, they were disqualified from the 2016 COSAFA Under-17 Championship because two players were found to have been over the age of 17.
Kings Kangwa is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Serbian club Red Star Belgrade and the Zambia national team.
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 Zambia National U-23 Football team is the U-23 football team for Zambia founded in 1929. The team, also known as the Youth Chipolpolo, represents the country in international under-23 matches and is controlled by the Football Association of Zambia.
