Chipolopolo midfielder Clatous Chama has described Zambia’s Group I draw for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as fair but questioned the country’s continued use of the phrase “building a team” whenever a new AFCON cycle begins.
The Simba SC midfielder maestro shared his thoughts after Zambia was drawn alongside Algeria, Togo, and Burundi in the qualifiers for the 2027 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
The upcoming qualification campaign will also mark the beginning of a new era under newly appointed Chipolopolo coach George Lwandamina, who officially took over from Avram Grant earlier this year.
Chama Backs Zambia’s Chances
Despite the tough challenge presented by two-time African champions Algeria, Chama believes Zambia has enough quality to secure qualification if the team prepares adequately.
Speaking to ZNBC Radio Sports, the experienced midfielder stressed the importance of preparation, organisation, and mentality heading into the qualifiers.
“It’s about the preparation; it’s about the nation wanting it more. When we look at Algeria, Burundi, and Togo, I think all these teams, these countries, we are able to have information about them and prepare adequately for them,” Chama said.
“The most important thing, like I said, is the preparation and the desire to want it more than the opponents.”
The Chipolopolo midfielder believes Zambia has no excuse not to compete strongly for one of the qualification spots in Group I.
Triple C Questions “Building” Narrative
However, Chama also used the opportunity to question the repeated narrative surrounding Zambia “building” a national team.
According to the veteran midfielder, international football does not provide enough time for constant rebuilding and experimentation.
“We are in a process which, for me, I don’t clearly understand where if someone uses the word ‘building’, I wouldn’t so much understand it because we’re talking about football; we’re talking about high-level football here,” he explained.
“It’s a national team. When you’re building, are we trying to think of an academy, or a club or something?”
Chama argued that successful national teams rely more on having a clear football system rather than continuously restarting projects every qualification cycle.
“Coach Grant will tell you the system at the national team doesn’t give you enough time for you to always go back to the drawing board and say, ‘We are building now.’”
Importance of a Football System
The Simba SC midfielder believes Zambia must establish a strong football identity that every player can adapt to whenever called up.
“It’s about the system. If the system is there, let any player that is coming in learn about the system, adapt to the system and then move forward,” Chama said.
The midfielder added that Zambia should now fully focus on gathering information about their opponents and preparing properly instead of relying on long-term rebuilding explanations.
“Now that we know our opponents, let us gather the information that we need for us to prepare quickly for the opponents that we are going to be facing.”
AFCON Qualification “An Obligation”
Chama also made it clear that missing out on another AFCON tournament should not even be considered by the national team.
“Obviously, it will be so bad if we are to miss out on this Africa Cup. I think that’s one thing that we should not even be thinking or considering,” he concluded.
Zambia’s AFCON Group
Chipolopolo will compete in Group I alongside:
- Algeria
- Zambia
- Togo
- Burundi
Only the top teams will secure qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Conclusion
Clatous Chama’s comments have once again sparked important conversations around the direction of Zambian football and the expectations surrounding Chipolopolo.
While the veteran midfielder remains confident Zambia can qualify for the 2027 AFCON, he believes success will depend less on “building” and more on organisation, preparation, and implementing a strong football system.
As the qualifiers approach, Zambia will now look to begin a new chapter under George Lwandamina with hopes of returning stronger on the continental stage.
