FAZ TOASTS COPPER QUEENS FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION!

FAZ TOASTS COPPER QUEENS FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION!

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to congratulate the Zambia Women National Team for the historic qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be hosted by Australia/New Zealand in 2023.

FAZ president Andrew Kamanga has thanked government, especially the FAZ patron, President Hakainde Hichilema for the support rendered to the Copper Queens during preparations and the tournament.

“On behalf of the executive committee, I wish to congratulate the Copper Queens for their qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup. It is a huge milestone not only for the women’s game but our entire football,” Kamanga says.

The FAZ president says government through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts had supported the team’s participation at the tournament making it easy to succeed.

“Many thanks to the government, especially the FAZ patron, President Hakainde Hichilema and Minister of Youth, Sport, and Arts Honourable Elvis Nkandu whose support has invigorated the team’s desire to go an extra mile,” he said.
Kamanga says the team will now focus on its next objective of fighting to lift the WAFON trophy.

“The Copper Queens project has scored another milestone that started with back-to-back WAFCON qualification in 2018 and 2022 and the monumental participation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. With a historic semifinal qualification, the team will now focus on its next objective of winning the title.”

Kamanga says FAZ had invested heavily in the women’s game and hoped the World Cup qualification would trigger investment by other stakeholders into women’s football.

“Considering where the women’s game is coming from, we are happy that the efforts that we have put in the last few years have yielded admirable results like Olympic and World Cup qualification,” he says.
“We hope that these achievements will galvanize support in the women’s game especially the Super League that is in its infancy.”
Kamanga has paid tribute to the players and technical bench for the world cup success.

“Many thanks to the players and technical bench and the different clubs that have moulded these players into world beaters. Our prayer is that the public continues to support these girls as they aim to fly the Zambian flag at the FIFA World Cup,” Kamanga says.

“We also wish to recognize the efforts of the FAZ secretariat that has been driving the day-to-day activities of the team along the way.”