COSAFA Cup

COSAFA Cup
Organising body	COSAFA
Founded	1983
Region	Southern Africa
Number of teams	14
Current champions	Angola ; (5th title)
Most successful team(s)	Zambia ; (7 titles)
Website	cosafa.com
	2025 COSAFA Cup

Last updated August 12, 2025

The COSAFA Cup (known fully as COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup) is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organized by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the African Cup of Nations had been staged there in 1996.

History

The following teams have participated in the tournament in the past: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, seven non-COSAFA members have competed: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal. Zambia has won the most titles with seven wins, followed by Zimbabwe with six wins. Zambia has been the most prolific side in the competition failing to reach the top 4 only four times since the tournament's inception. The first editions of the competition were a knockout tournament staged over several months. As the competition grew, it transformed into a series of mini-tournaments.^[1]

The 2010 COSAFA Senior Challenge was to be the 14th edition of the football tournament that involves teams from Southern Africa. In July 2010 it was confirmed that Angola would host the competition.^[2] The 2010 edition of the competition was cancelled in October, 2010.^[3] COSAFA stated that the Angolan authorities did not give enough guarantees to host the tournament.

Results

#	Year	Host	Final			Third Place Match			Teams
#	Year	Host	Winner	Score	Runner-up	3rd Place	Score	4th Place	Teams
1	1997 Details	Home/away	Zambia	^n/a	Namibia	Mozambique	^n/a	Tanzania	9
2	1998 Details	Home/away	Zambia	^n/a	Zimbabwe	Angola	^n/a	Namibia	10
3	1999 Details	Home/away	Angola	1–0 1–1	Namibia	Swaziland and Zambia			10
4	2000 Details	Home/away	Zimbabwe	3–0 3–0	Lesotho	South Africa and Angola			11
5	2001 Details	Home/away	Angola	0–0 1–0	Zimbabwe	Malawi and Zambia			11
6	2002 Details	Home/away	South Africa	3–1 1–0	Malawi	Swaziland and Zambia			12
7	2003 Details	Home/away	Zimbabwe	2–1 2–0	Malawi	Zambia and Swaziland			12
8	2004 Details	Various hosts	Angola	0–0 (5–4 pen.)	Zambia	Mozambique and Zimbabwe			12
9	2005 Details	Mauritius Namibia South Africa Zambia	Zimbabwe	1–0	Zambia	South Africa and Angola			13
10	2006 Details	Various hosts	Zambia	2–0	Angola	Botswana and Zimbabwe			13
11	2007 Details	Botswana Mozambique South Africa Swaziland	South Africa	0–0 (4–3 pen.)	Zambia	Botswana and Mozambique			13
12	2008 Details	South Africa	South Africa	2–1	Mozambique	Zambia	2–0	Madagascar	14
13	2009 Details	Zimbabwe	Zimbabwe	3–1	Zambia	Mozambique	1–0	South Africa	13
-	2010	Angola	Cancelled^[4]			Cancelled			14
14	2013 Details	Zambia	Zambia	2–0	Zimbabwe	South Africa	2–1	Lesotho	13
15	2015 Details	South Africa	Namibia	2–0	Mozambique	Madagascar	2–1	Botswana	14
16	2016 Details	Namibia	South Africa	3–2	Botswana	Swaziland	1–0	DR Congo	14
17	2017 Details	South Africa	Zimbabwe	3–1	Zambia	Tanzania	0–0 (4–2 pen.)	Lesotho	14
18	2018 Details	South Africa	Zimbabwe	4–2( a.e.t. )	Zambia	Lesotho	1–0	Madagascar	14
19	2019 Details	South Africa	Zambia	1–0	Botswana	Zimbabwe	2–2 (5–4 pen.)	Lesotho	13
20	2021 Details	South Africa	South Africa	0–0( a.e.t. ) (5–4 pen.)	Senegal	Eswatini	1–1( a.e.t. ) (4–2 pen.)	Mozambique	10
21	2022 Details	South Africa	Zambia	1–0( a.e.t. )	Namibia	Senegal	1–1( a.e.t. ) (4–2 pen.)	Mozambique	14
22	2023 Details	South Africa	Zambia	1–0	Lesotho	South Africa	0–0 (5–3 pen.)	Malawi	12
23	2024 Details	South Africa	Angola	5–0	Namibia	Mozambique	2–2 (3–1 pen.)	Comoros	12
24	2025 Details	South Africa	Angola	3–0	South Africa	Comoros	1–0	Madagascar	14

^n/a A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.

Teams reaching the top four

As of 2024^[update]

Team	Winners	Runners-up	Third Place	Fourth Place	Semi-finalists	Top 4 Finishes
Zambia	7 (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2023)	6 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018)	1 (2008)	1 (2001)	4 (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)	19
Zimbabwe	6 (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018)	3 (1998, 2001, 2013)	1 (2019)		2 (2004, 2006)	12
South Africa	5 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021)	1 (2025)	2 (2013, 2023)	1 (2009)	2 (2000, 2005)	11
Angola	5 (1999, 2001, 2004, 2024, 2025)	1 (2006)	1 (1998)		2 (2000, 2005)	9
Namibia	1 (2015)	4 (1997, 1999, 2022, 2024)		1 (1998)		6
Mozambique		2 (2008, 2015)	3 (1997, 2009, 2024)	2 (2021, 2022)	2 (2004, 2007)	9
Malawi		2 (2002, 2003)	1 (2001)	1 (2023)		4
Botswana		2 (2016, 2019)		1 (2015)	2 (2006, 2007)	5
Lesotho		2 (2000, 2023)	1 (2018)	3 (2013, 2017, 2019)		6
Senegal		1 (2021)	1 (2022)			2
Eswatini ^[a]			2 (2016, 2021)		3 (1999, 2002, 2003)	5
Madagascar			1 (2015)	3 (2008, 2018, 2025)		4
Tanzania			1 (2017)	1 (1997)		2
Comoros			1 (2025)	1 (2024)		2
DR Congo				1 (2016)		1

Medals (1997-2025)

Participating nations

Legend

1st – Champions
2nd – Runners-up
3rd – Third place
4th – Fourth place
5th – Fifth place

SF – Semi-finals
QF – Quarter-finals
GS – Group stage
1R – First round
2R – Second round

Q – Qualified
— Hosts
– – Did not enter
–– – Withdrew before qualification / Banned

Team	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010 ²	2013	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	Total
Angola	–	3rd	1st	SF	1st	QF	1R	1st	SF	2nd	1R	QF	QF	x	QF	–	GS	GS	GS	––¹	–	GS	GS	1st	1st	20
Botswana	1R	1R	2R	1R	1R	1R	QF	QF	1R	SF	SF	QF	QF	x	GS	4th	2nd	QF	QF	2nd	GS	QF	GS	GS	GS	24
Comoros	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	GS	GS	x	–	–	–	–	GS	QF	––¹	GS	GS	4th	3rd	8
Eswatini ^[a]	1R	1R	SF	QF	QF	SF	SF	QF	1R	1R	1R	GS	GS	x	GS	GS	3rd	QF	QF	GS	3rd	QF	GS	GS	GS	24
Lesotho	1R	1R	QF	2nd	QF	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	GS	GS	x	4th	GS	QF	4th	3rd	4th	GS	GS	2nd	GS	GS	24
Madagascar	–	–	–	––	–	QF	QF	1R	1R	1R	1R	4th	––¹	x	–	3rd	GS	GS	4th	–	––¹	QF	–	–	4th	13
Malawi	5th	1R	2R	QF	SF	2nd	2nd	QF	1R	1R	1R	GS	QF	x	QF	QF	GS	GS	GS	QF	GS	GS	4th	–	GS	23
Mauritius	–	–	–	1R	QF	1R	1R	QF	1R	1R	1R	GS	GS	x	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	–	GS	GS	–	GS	19
Mozambique	3rd	5th	QF	1R	1R	QF	QF	SF	1R	1R	SF	2nd	3rd	x	QF	2nd	QF	GS	GS	GS	4th	4th	GS	3rd	GS	24
Namibia	2nd	4th	2nd	QF	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	1R	QF	QF	x	QF	1st	QF	QF	QF	GS	GS	2nd	GS	2nd	GS	24
Seychelles	–	–	–	––	–	–	–	–	1R	1R	1R	GS	GS	x	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	GS	–	GS	GS	GS	–	14
South Africa	–	1R	QF	SF	QF	1st	QF	1R	SF	1R	1st	1st	4th	x	3rd	QF	1st	QF	QF	QF	1st	QF	3rd	GS	2nd	23
Zambia	1st	1st	SF	QF	SF	SF	SF	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	3rd	2nd	x	1st	QF	QF	2nd	2nd	1st	GS	1st	1st	GS	GS	24
Zimbabwe	1R	2nd	QF	1st	2nd	QF	1st	SF	1st	SF	1R	QF	1st	x	2nd	GS	GS	1st	1st	3rd	GS	–	–	GS	GS	22
Guest Nations
DR Congo ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Equatorial Guinea ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	––¹	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0
Ghana ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	QF	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Kenya ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	GS	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	GS	–	2
Senegal ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2nd	3rd	–	–	–	2
Tanzania ^*	4th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	––¹	GS	–	3rd	–	–	–	–	–	–	GS	4
Uganda ^*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	QF	–	–	–	–	–	1
Total	9	10	10	11	11	12	12	12	13	13	13	14	13	0 (14)	13	14	14	14	14	13	10	14	12	12	14

^*D.R. Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal are not COSAFA members, but have been invited to participate in the past.
¹ Withdrew from tournament.
² Tournament not played.

Summary (1997–2022)

COSAFA Cup invitees are included in the table with blue.

Rank	Team	Part	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Zambia	21	63	32	22	10	93	48	+45	117
2	Zimbabwe	20	59	34	17	8	100	49	+51	113
3	South Africa	20	55	30	19	6	77	29	+48	109
4	Namibia	21	59	23	17	19	76	62	+14	86
5	Mozambique	21	61	19	15	24	59	70	-11	75
6	Eswatini	21	53	20	16	17	65	57	+8	73
7	Angola	17	43	18	15	12	47	37	+10	68
8	Malawi	21	59	16	20	23	61	71	-10	68
9	Botswana	21	51	15	17	19	52	50	+2	62
10	Lesotho	21	53	14	15	24	50	74	-24	57
11	Madagascar	12	36	14	8	14	39	38	+1	50
12	Mauritius	18	40	8	8	24	25	57	-32	32
13	Comoros	6	18	4	3	11	14	28	-14	15
14	Seychelles	13	19	1	6	27	19	64	-45	9
15	Senegal	2	9	3	4	2	13	12	+1	13
16	Tanzania	3	13	2	6	5	10	15	-5	12
17	DR Congo	1	3	1	1	1	1	1	0	4
18	Ghana	1	2	0	0	2	1	5	-4	0
19	Kenya	1	3	1	1	1	5	4	+1	4
20	Uganda	1	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
21	Equatorial Guinea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Top scorers

Peter Ndlovu of Zimbabwe and Manuel 'Tico-Tico' Bucuane of Mozambique are all-time top goalscorers in the tournament with ten goals each. In 2021 Felix Badenhorst of Eswatini moved into second position with nine goals.^[5]

Year	Player	Goals
1998	Tauya Mrewa Peter Ndlovu Shepherd Muradzikwa Benjamin Nkonjera	2
1999	Betinho	3
2000	Luke Petros Delron Buckley	2
2001	18 players tied	1
2002	Mfanzile Dlamini Rotson Kilambe Teboho Mokoena Siza Dlamini Patrick Mayo	2
2003	Peter Ndlovu Noel Mwandila Russel Mwafulirwa	2
2004	Peter Ndlovu	3
2005	Collins Mbesuma	4
2006	Fabrice Akwa	3
2007	Paulin Voavy	3
2008	Phillip Zialor	4
2009	Cuthbert Malajila	4
2013	Jerome Ramatlhakwane	4
2015	Sarivahy Vombola	5
2016	Felix Badenhorst	5
2017	Ovidy Karuru	6
2018	Onkabetse Makgantai	5
2019	Gabadinho Mhango Gerald Phiri Jr. Ashley Nazira	3
2021	Sepana Letsoalo	4
2022	Sabelo Ndzinisa	3
2023	Tshegofatso Mabasa Albert Kangwanda	3
2024	Depú	5
2025	Depú	8

Notes

1 2 Competed as Swaziland until 2018.

References

↑ "COSAFA Tournament to continue". The Lusaka Times. 24 March 2008.
↑ Redvers, Lousie (29 July 2010). "Angola to Host Cosafa Cup in November". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
↑ Muchinjo, Enock (18 October 2010). "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". Daily News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
↑ "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". 18 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
↑ "Badenhorst makes Cosafa Cup history". The Namibian. Retrieved 14 July 2021.

Kabelo

External links

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[Eswatini-5] 1 2 Competed as Swaziland until 2018.

[1] "COSAFA Tournament to continue". The Lusaka Times. 24 March 2008.

[2] Redvers, Lousie (29 July 2010). "Angola to Host Cosafa Cup in November". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.

[3] Muchinjo, Enock (18 October 2010). "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". Daily News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2010.

[4] "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". 18 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2010.

[Cup_history-6] "Badenhorst makes Cosafa Cup history". The Namibian. Retrieved 14 July 2021.

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[a]

[5]

v t e COSAFA championships
Men	1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Women	2002 2006 2008 2011 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Men U20	1983 1985 1986 1988 1990 1993 1995 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2013 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2024 2025
Women U20	2019 2024 2025
Men U17	1994 2001 2002 2007 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2024
Women U17	2019 2020 2021 2022 2024 2025