The Footballers and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (FAWUZ) has launched the Pitch of the Month Competition, an initiative designed to improve playing surfaces across Zambian football while recognising the important contribution of pitch managers, who often work behind the scenes to prepare grounds for matches.
The competition was launched on 7 October 2026 at Reiz Area in partnership with ZANACO Bank Plc, with the initial phase targeting clubs competing in the MTN Super League. The initiative aims to encourage clubs to invest in the upkeep of their facilities while promoting safer, better-maintained pitches that support player performance and career longevity.
Under the competition, visiting team captains will assess and vote on the condition of the pitch after every match. The votes will be collected throughout the season, with the ground receiving the highest number of votes each month winning a K10,000 prize for the pitch manager responsible for maintaining the playing surface.
The competition will also recognise outstanding performance over the course of the season, culminating in the Pitch of the Year award. The overall winner will receive K20,000, while the runner-up will take home K10,000, providing further incentives for pitch managers to maintain high standards consistently.
FAWUZ General Secretary Joe Kaunda said the initiative was intended not only to encourage better playing surfaces but also to give greater recognition to pitch managers for their contribution to the game. The union believes rewarding their work can motivate clubs to take greater responsibility for the condition of their facilities.
Speaking at the launch, Zambian Premier League (ZPL) Chief Executive Officer Joseph Chimpampwe, who attended as Guest of Honour and represented Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) General Secretary Charles Chakatazya, welcomed the initiative as an important step towards recognising the people responsible for preparing football grounds.
Chimpampwe said the competition would complement work already being undertaken by the ZPL over the past three seasons to improve pitch maintenance standards through training and specialised workshops for pitch managers.
“Over the last three seasons, the League has invested in pitch managers through specialised workshops conducted in Chipata, Solwezi and, most recently, Choma, and such programmes are important in equipping pitch managers with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain quality playing surfaces. And this initiative by FAWUZ will further motivate them to do their work in a more exceptional way,” Chimpampwe said.
He also highlighted the often-overlooked role of pitch managers, noting that their work is essential to the successful staging of football matches and the overall experience of supporters attending games.
The initiative is also intended to support the wider development of Zambian football by encouraging clubs to improve their infrastructure and move towards playing-surface standards that align with Confederation of African Football (CAF) requirements.
Through its partnership with ZANACO Bank, FAWUZ hopes the financial incentives will encourage clubs and pitch managers to make continuous improvements, while establishing a culture in which quality pitch maintenance is valued and rewarded.
The initiative will extend recognition to media organisations and content creators covering football, with proposed awards of K5,000 for the best and most consistent coverage in each of three categories: electronic media, covering radio and television; print media; and social media and bloggers. The total allocation for these media awards is K15,000 at the end of the season.
All official MTN Super League venues will be eligible to participate, except national stadiums primarily maintained by the State or other national authorities, including Levy Mwanawasa Stadium and Heroes Stadium. The exclusion is intended to ensure fairness and encourage clubs to take greater responsibility for facilities under their own management.
Through the Pitch of the Month Competition, FAWUZ and its partners aim to improve the quality of playing surfaces, reduce avoidable injuries, enhance the match-day experience for supporters and give greater recognition to the pitch managers whose work helps make football possible.
