Zambia Eliminated from COSAFA Cup After Comoros-Botswana Draw
Nyirenda’s side set to face Botswana in a dead rubber as pressure mounts for squad overhaul ahead of CHAN
Zambia’s hopes of progressing in the 2025 COSAFA Cup have been dashed following a 0-0 draw between Comoros and Botswana on Monday, which confirmed the Copper Bullets’ early exit from Group B.
With just one group match remaining against Botswana, Wedson Nyirenda’s side is stuck on zero points after a 1-0 loss to Comoros on Friday. Even with a win on Tuesday, Zambia can only reach three points—falling short of the tally needed to advance to the quarter-finals.
Comoros Favorites as Zambia Crashes Out
Comoros now lead Group B with four points and are strong favourites to progress, while Botswana’s late hopes depend on beating Zambia by at least two goals, which would earn the Zebras a potential place in the semi-finals via the best runners-up route.
Zambia’s exit has fueled growing criticism of Nyirenda’s technical bench, particularly over squad selection. Many fans and analysts believe the team relied too heavily on players from the MTN Super League, rather than incorporating younger, emerging talents that could be developed for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in August.
COSAFA Exit Raises CHAN Concerns
Zambia used the COSAFA Cup as a warm-up tournament for CHAN, where only domestic-based players are eligible. But their poor showing has raised serious questions about the team’s readiness.
Calls are now mounting for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to inject more youth into the national setup and focus on rebuilding with long-term goals in mind.
Elsewhere in the COSAFA Cup: Tanzania Also Out
In Group C, guest team Tanzania has also been eliminated from the tournament. Group leaders Madagascar sit on four points, while Eswatini has one point heading into the final round of group fixtures.
With both Zambia and Tanzania now out, the spotlight turns to how Southern African teams respond to these early exits, especially with major tournaments like CHAN and AFCON qualifiers on the horizon
