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.
Zambia competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
David Efford Chabala, popularly known as Efford Chabala was Zambia's first choice goalkeeper from 1983 until his death in a plane crash off the Gabonese coast in 1993 and is one of Zambia's most capped players, with 108 full international appearances. Chabala was instrumental in Zambia's first ever East and Central African Championship success when he saved three penalties in Zambia's 3–0 shoot-out victory over Malawi in the 1984 final in Uganda after a goalless draw at full-time. He was named Zambia's Sportsman of the Year in 1985.
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.
Clifford Mulenga is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Forest Rangers F.C.
Ben Bamfuchile, also known as Ben Pabili, was a Zambian football defender and coach. Bamfuchile played for the Nkana Red Devils in the 1980s and later coached the same team, as well as the Zambia national football team from 1998 to 2000, holding the distinction of qualifying Zambia to the 2000 African Cup of Nations with best record amongst all the teams of 5 wins and a draw in the 6 qualifying games. Bamfuchile also coached Namibia and therefore coached and led two different teams to the African Cup of Nations; the Zambia national football team in the 2000 African Cup of Nations, and the Namibia national football team in 2008. He managed Namibia from 2006 until his death.
Patrick Phiri is a Zambian football coach and former footballer. He featured for Zambian clubs Rokana United and Red Arrows as a striker and represented Zambia at the 1978 and 1982 African Cup of Nations tournaments. As a coach, Phiri led the Zambia U-20 national team to its first ever appearance at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria and was voted Zambian Coach of the Year at the end of the year. He was also in charge of Zambia at the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana and has managed ten different club sides, with three of them more than once. He is currently in charge of Nakambala Leopards in the Zambian Premier League.
Ashious Jordan Melu, also known as Ashios, was a Zambian footballer and coach. Melu captained the Zambia national team from 1988 to 1992.
Johnson Bwalya is a Zambian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He spent most of his career in Switzerland while representing the Zambia national team internationally. With Zambia, he participated at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Mufulira Wanderers are Zambia's most successful football club, based in the Copperbelt town of Mufulira, currently competing in the Zambia Super League for the 2023–24 season after their promotion from the Zambia National Division One.
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 Zambia 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 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. It made its 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 soccer.
Biggie Mbasela, better known as Gibby Mbasela was a Zambian footballer who played for Kalulushi Modern Stars, Mufulira Wanderers, Nkana Red Devils, 1. FC Union Berlin of Germany and Tunisian champions Esperance. Renowned for his dribbling skills, Mbasela was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year in 1990.
Benjamin Bwalya Jnr was a Zambian footballer and coach. Bwalya was the son of soccer administrator Benjamin Bwalya Snr and the elder brother of celebrated former Zambian player Kalusha Bwalya. The youngest brother Joel Bwalya was also a footballer.
Bernard Chanda was one of Zambia's greatest strikers and was the league top scorer three times. Nicknamed 'Bomber,' he played for three of Zambia's biggest clubs – Roan United, Mufulira Wanderers and Rokana United, and is remembered for scoring a hat-trick in the 4–2 semi-final victory over Congo at the 1974 African Cup of Nations tournament. Chanda was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year in 1974 and is fourth on the list of all-time goal scorers for Zambia in international matches behind Godfrey Chitalu, Alex Chola and Kalusha Bwalya with 29 goals.
Kenneth Malitoli is a Zambian coach and former footballer. Nicknamed 'Bubble', Malitoli is one of Zambia's most decorated players and was Zambian league top scorer in three consecutive seasons, as well as top scorer in Tunisia in 1993 and 1994. He is regarded as Nkana Football Club's most prolific striker after Bernard Chanda. He won the CAF Champions League with Tunisian club Espérance in 1994 and featured at four CAN tournaments in 1990, 1994, 1996 and 1998. Malitoli is currently coaching Zambian Division I South side Lusaka City Council.
George Lwandamina is a former Zambian footballer and head coach of Kabwe Warriors.He had a brief playing career with Zambia and won several trophies as a defender with Mufulira Wanderers.
Beston Chambeshi is a Zambian football coach and former player.
