Chipolopolo head coach George Lwandamina has named a 27-member squad for Zambia’s opening two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Algeria and Togo, as he begins his latest attempt to guide the national team back to the continental showpiece.
Zambia will open their Group I campaign away to Algeria on September 25 at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou before returning home four days later to face Togo at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. The two fixtures form the opening chapter of Zambia’s qualification campaign for the 2027 AFCON finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Lwandamina has retained several of the prominent faces from Zambia’s 2025 AFCON campaign, with Patson Daka, Fashion Sakala, Miguel Chaiwa and goalkeeper Willard Mwanza among those selected. The squad also includes Lameck Banda, Kingstone Mutandwa and Albert Kangwanda, while Orlando Pirates forward Gamphani Lungu makes his return to the national team for the first time since 2024. Lungu is the only South Africa-based player included in the 27-man squad.
There are also notable omissions. Clatous Chama, Frankie Musonda, Lubambo Musonda and Kings Kangwa are among the experienced players left out, while Kangwa remains unavailable because of his four-match CAF suspension. Lubambo Musonda is absent through injury. The squad also does not include several other familiar names, reflecting Lwandamina’s decision to broaden his selection pool as he prepares for the opening qualifiers.
One of the notable selections is unattached striker Chanka Zimba, who made his senior Zambia debut against Argentina in March. His inclusion gives the forward another opportunity to stake his claim at international level, while Lwandamina has also rewarded players who have impressed at club level.
The coach explained that his selection was based on giving opportunities to players he believes can contribute while also widening the pool available to the national team.
“There are good players and they have been there. And we have to see others for us to broaden the scope of selection. We don’t have to confine ourselves to the same people all the time. Zambia is big.”
“The players that we’ve picked, we’ve seen them, they can combine well,” Lwandamina said.
The squad contains a mixture of established internationals and players looking to establish themselves in the senior setup. Fourteen of the 27 players are foreign-based, while 12 are locally based and Zimba remains unattached. Power Dynamos have a significant representation among the locally based contingent.
For Lwandamina, the immediate task is clear. Zambia are looking to qualify for a third successive AFCON tournament, and the coach believes the current campaign provides an opportunity to write another chapter in the country’s football history.
“We have an opportunity to rewrite history. Even the players that are coming, they have to work towards that,” Lwandamina said.
The opening assignment, however, will come against an Algeria side that Zambia know will provide a serious test. The Desert Foxes are one of the teams in Group I alongside Zambia, Togo and Burundi, with the top two teams from the group set to qualify for the 2027 AFCON finals.
Lwandamina has made it clear that respect for Algeria does not mean Zambia will approach the fixture with fear.
“We have been drawn already with Algeria. We respect them. We can’t say we won’t play. We will play and win. We understand what is ahead. We respect all the teams in the group.”
The Togo fixture will then give Zambia the opportunity to respond in front of home support at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on September 29. CAF lists the match for 16:00 GMT, equivalent to 18:00 Zambian time.
The two matches will also mark the beginning of Lwandamina’s third stint in charge of the Chipolopolo. His first spell came briefly in 2010, when he oversaw Zambia during the unsuccessful 2011 CHAN qualifying campaign. He returned between 2015 and 2016, taking charge after Honor Janza and combining the national-team role with his position at ZESCO United.
His latest appointment therefore comes with a significant historical backdrop. Lwandamina has previously experienced the disappointment of failing to guide Zambia to an AFCON tournament, but the 2027 qualifiers provide another opportunity to change that narrative.
The comparison with the late Patrick Phiri also forms part of that history. Phiri experienced disappointment after Zambia failed to qualify for the 2004 AFCON, but when he was reappointed in 2006, he successfully guided the Chipolopolo to the 2008 tournament. Lwandamina will now hope his latest return to the national team can similarly produce a different outcome.
The road begins in Tizi Ouzou on September 25 before Zambia return home to face Togo four days later. With Lwandamina placing faith in a blend of established internationals and fresh options, the Chipolopolo now turn their attention to two matches that will set the tone for their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign.
