Red Arrows head coach Chisi Mbewe says his side will be ready for the challenge posed by South African giants Kaizer Chiefs when the two teams meet in the second round of the 2026/2027 CAF Confederation Cup.
The encounter represents a significant hurdle for the Zambian side, with Kaizer Chiefs standing between Red Arrows and a potential first-ever appearance in the group stage of a CAF inter-club competition. The South African giants will travel to Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola for the first leg on October 17, before Red Arrows make the trip to Soweto for the return fixture during the weekend of October 24.
Mbewe believes the occasion should not intimidate his players, insisting that Red Arrows must approach the tie with the mentality of competing against one of the continent’s established clubs rather than being overwhelmed by the Kaizer Chiefs name.
“I think for us to be the best, we need to compete with the best. And again, going into this game, we need to remove the name that we are playing Kaizer Chiefs,” Mbewe said.
“We just need to go into this game that we are going to compete and ensure that we fight and progress to the group stage of the Confederation Cup.”
Red Arrows booked their place in the second round after producing identical 2-0 victories against Madagascar’s RC Rouge in both legs of the first preliminary round. The back-to-back wins saw the Zambian side progress with a convincing 4-0 aggregate scoreline and set up the much bigger test against Chiefs.
The upcoming tie will therefore provide another opportunity for Mbewe’s side to measure themselves against stronger opposition as they pursue a place in the group phase. With the first leg at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Arrows will be looking to make home advantage count before travelling to South Africa for the decisive second leg.
Kaizer Chiefs, meanwhile, will arrive in Ndola carrying the weight of their own reputation, but Mbewe is adamant that his players must focus on the football rather than the stature of their opponents.
For Red Arrows, the objective is clear: compete, fight across the two legs and keep their historic CAF group-stage ambition alive.
