FAZ Women's Super Division

Last updated
FAZ Women Super Division
Founded1999
Country Zambia
Confederation CAF
Number of teams18
Level on pyramid1-3
International cup(s) COSAFA / CAF W-Champions League
Current champions Green Buffaloes Ladies FC
(2022-2023)
Most championships Green Buffaloes Ladies FC (6 titles)
Current: 2023

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. [1] The inaugural season featured 12 teams from four provinces in Zambia. [2] The super division replaced the 4 regional women's leagues (Copperbelt, Lusaka, North-west and Central [3] ) 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, [4] serving as the second tier and dropping the regional leagues to the third tier.

Contents

The teams for the first season of the super division were selected from an application process where FAZ granted spots in the league for fully structured teams that were expected to be able to complete the full season. [3] The creation of the league came from a wider promotion of the women's game in a promising era of Zambian women's football with the Copper Queens qualified for the Tokyo Olympic games. It was also a response to the newly announced CAF Women's Champions League, where the best teams of the continent are competing and started later in 2021. [3]

Past champions

The Women's Football League in Zambia dates back to the beginning of the 1980s when women competed in Copperbelt province. The national league began in January 1984, [5] according to RSSSF, with teams "mostly from Copperbelt towns: Luanshya, Mufulira (Mufulira Flying Queens), Kitwe (Kitwe Flying Angels), Ndola, Kalulushi, Chililabombwe (Konkola Blades) and Chingola." [5]

The Football Association of Zambia became involved in the national league held from 1999 for a few seasons, [5] and the Lusaka Zambia Women Football Championship Cup was held from 2005 to 2007. [5]

In the beginning of the 90s Copperbelt football died out[ dubious – discuss ] while it instead was introduced in Lusaka at the end of the decade[ dubious – discuss ] and Kabwata EDUSPORT United was an early dominant of the game. [6] Since then, women have competed in various competitions, predominantly in the Copperbelt and Lusaka, with the following champions: [5]

YearCopperbeltLusakaLusaka CupNational
2002Lass Connect FC
2005Arrows
2006 National Assembly Women
2007 National Assembly Women
2011 Green Buffaloes Women
2013 Green Buffaloes Women
2014 Moba Queens
2015 Zesco Ndola Girls Green Buffaloes Women
2016 Indeni Roses Green Buffaloes Women Green Buffaloes Women a
2017 Zesco Ndola Girls Green Buffaloes Women
2018 Indeni Roses Green Buffaloes Women Green Buffaloes Women b
2019 Indeni Roses Green Buffaloes Women Green Buffaloes Women c
2019−20Abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic

Super Division champions

YearNationalNotes
2020–21 Green Buffaloes Women First ever Super Division edition [13]
2021–22 Green Buffaloes Women Won over Yasa Queens on penalties in play-off Final [14]
2022–23 Green Buffaloes Women Won after taking the lead from Red Arrows on the final day [15]
2023–24 Green Buffaloes Women

Clubs in the 2022-2023 season

The third edition of the national league was won by Green Buffaloes and were contested by the following 18 clubs:

ClubProvinceFinal position current seasonPosition previous season 2021/22First seasonFirst season of current spellNumber of seasons in Super DivisionBest Finishing position
Bauleni United Sports Academy Lusaka 155 Zone B2020/212020/2136 (2020/21)
Green Buffaloes Women Lusaka 11 Zone A2020/212020/2131 (2022/23)
Green Eagles Southern 117 Zone B2021/222021/22211 (2022/23)
Indeni Roses Copperbelt 62 Zone A2020/212020/2133 (2021/22)
Elite Ladies - Lusaka Dynamos Women Lusaka 44 Zone B2020/212020/2134 (2022/23)
Mufulira Wanderers Women Copperbelt 187 Zone A2020/212020/21312 (2020/21)
National Assembly Women Lusaka 96 Zone A2020/212020/2139 (2022/23)
Nkwazi Queens Lusaka 125 Zone A2020/212020/2138 (2020/21)
Play it Forward Queens Southern 16Southern Province 1st2022/232022/23116 (2022/23)
Police Doves Queens North-Western 84 Zone A2020/212020/2138 (2022/23)
Prison Leopards Queens Central 178 Zone B2021/222021/22215 (2021/22)
Queens Academy Central 136 Zone B2020/212020/21310 (2020/21)
Red Arrows Women Lusaka 22 Zone B2020/212020/2132 (2022/23)
Trident Queens North-Western 10North-West Province 1st2022/232022/23110 (2022/23)
YASA Queens Lusaka 71 Zone B2020/212020/2132 (2021/22)
Zanaco Ladies Lusaka 5Lusaka Province 1st2022/232022/2315 (2022/23)
Zesco Ndola Girls Copperbelt 33 Zone A2020/212020/2133 (2022/23)
ZISD Queens Lusaka 143 Zone B2020/212020/2136 (2021/22)

Lower tiers of the football piramid

National League

The national division one League was introduced in the 2022–2023 season, and was played in two zones with 8 teams each. The league serves as the second tier of the Zambian football piramid for women.

Champions of the first season was Luyando in the South Zone and Police Blue Eagles in the North Zone.

Football training session, 2019 Women in sport afternoon training 03.jpg
Football training session, 2019

Regional Leagues

Serving as the third tier of Zambian female football is leagues divided by provinces. Earlier the top tier was organised like this but with the introduction of the Super division and National division one League, the regional football is feeding the nationalwide tiers.

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References

  1. ↑ "FORMATION OF A NATIONAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE AND PROMINENT WOMEN COMMITTEE TO RUN FUNDRAISING FOR COPPER QUEENS UNDERWAY – ANDREW KAMANGA". ZamFoot. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "FAZ CONFIRM LUSAKA DYNAMOS WOMEN'S SUPER DIVISION STATUS". ZamFoot. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Zambia FA to introduce eight teams women top flight league". Zone Foot. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "FAZ WOMEN'S NATIONAL DIVISION ONE LEAGUE TAKES OFF". Melo Media. 2022-11-10. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Zambia - List of Women Champions". RSSSF . Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Zambia (Women) 1982-2001". RSSSF . Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "ZAMBIA: Green Buffaloes dismiss Indeni Roses to clinch 2016 league title". JWsports1. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Buffaloes win inaugural Zambia Women's Charity Shield". CAFOnline. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Zambia (Women) 2018". RSSSF . Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  10. ↑ "FAZ to extend women's Super League to Central, NW provinces". NewsDiggers. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Green Buffaloes crowned Zambia Women's League champions". CAFOnline. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Zambia (Women) 2019". RSSSF . Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. ↑ "BUFFALOES WIN LEAGUE WITH THREE GAMES TO SPARE". Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Facebook. 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  14. ↑ "Match Facts - Green Buffaloes vs Determine Girls". CAF Online. 2022-10-29. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  15. ↑ "WSL:Green Buffaloes again…. COSAFA Champions defend league crown". Zamfoot. 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
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